


Pearl of my Eye

by narucosplay



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Courting Rituals, Flirting, Fluff, Forbidden Love, Horny Lance (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, M/M, Mating Rituals, Mer!Lance, Other, Pirate!Keith, Pirates, Porn With Plot, Romance, Sexual Tension, Smut, Strangers to Lovers, Virgin Keith (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2019-09-23 18:31:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 40,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17085482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/narucosplay/pseuds/narucosplay
Summary: Keith has finally been given an opportunity to do research on the long fabled Nanti (Swimmers) or commonly known as merpeople. He makes his way towards Oriande, a sacred piece of land that has been presumed the origins of the rumours of these water creatures. What lies beneath the warm waters of around this tropical island is more than Keith could ever ask for: A bright blue-eyed tanned gorgeous merman by the name of Lance who can't keep his hands off of him.A story about first love and war, and the difficulties that come with them.Or: Keith is completely inexperienced when it comes to relationships, Lance tries to court him, and well shit happens along the way





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello klancers 
> 
> Some things to mention before reading:  
> \- The planets in Voltron are cities, islands, and other masses of area in this story  
> \- Keith and Lance are around the same age  
> \- Pidge goes by female pronouns like in the show  
> \- This is my own personal interpretation of mythical creatures and if you don't like it, that's fine, but I like it so I'm sharing it with everyone.  
> \- Your comments and kudos are much appreciated :)
> 
> Thank you to Death-of-atropos for beta reading for me !

Beyond the sands, beyond the reefs where man have touched, deep beneath the ocean, under the violent waves of the stormy seas or the blazing heat of the sun’s rays, in complete secrecy thrived an entire species of undiscovered mythical creatures. These beings that have been hidden from the dry lands were named Nanti by our ancestors folklore. To have said to live in similar harmony of the animals who embraced the cognitive revolution, these ocean dwellers were just mere mythos to the ones who walked the lands. These stories told throughout time, of the these ocean monsters made the wise man fearful of the seas and took refuge on the dry lands. However, some sought them out. For glory, for wealth, or for knowledge.

And one of them, was Keith Kogane.

Atop the rocking ship that sailed the seas, son of no one, brother of Takashi Shirogane, stood arguably the most feared pirate of the era. Known for kidnapping criminals, traitors, and deserters, only to throw them off his ship for death, Keith Kogane protected the seas in the name of Mamoran state. The only monarchy that stood against whatever remained of the Galran empire. Through his impulsive and abrasive attitude, he protruded strength. Well respected, well desired, yet no one, not even his crew, knew him well. Sure, he had his friend, Katie Holt, under disguise as a man, Pidge Gunderson, to assist him as his right hand and medic in his exploration, however he had no one he was particularly close to. No one he confided in. No one he truly deeply loved, well, no one that wasn’t family. His brother remained by Kolavan’s side, the leader of the state, while he protected them from a distance. Months had gone by with no communication from or to them.

His distant attitude made it difficult for him to open up, however it wasn’t entirely the fault of his personality. He purposefully, at times he would admit, pushed people away for his own safety.

Keith sighed as he stood at the helm, using two fingers to steer the ship through the dark waters. The other hand held a compass, one that directed them south into the warm waters of the tropics. He needed to be quick, as the seasons changed so did its power.

“Captain,” Pidge’s voice called from amidships, “permission to come abaft?”

“Granted,”

The short woman climbed up the stairs where she joined him. Alone at the rear, Keith could see everything he needed to, and while it’s not customary for a captain to seclude himself when on deck, he didn’t have much to say other than what his crew already knew. He let them be, as he wished to be, until something was needed.

“I know you have this image of broodiness to uphold but you should come join the crew tonight for the Mamor celebration.”

He ignored her, keeping his eyes forward towards their line of path.

“Keith, come on.” She whined.

“What?” He met her eyes with a raised brow. “You guys don’t need my company and we can’t leave the ship unattended while we’re ported. I’d rather spend time sorting out-”

“Yeah, yeah,” She cut him off, brushing her hand as if to shoo off a fly, “you have your head deep in the ass of this expedition, we all know, but you make no time to enjoy yourself. One of these days you’re going to drive yourself mad if you keep this up.”

He pursed his lips and looked on forward again. It wasn’t as if he was opposed to drinking and filling his belly till he needed to vomit, it was just that he had spent the entire second half of his twenty-year-old life dreaming of the day where he could sail the seas for his own leisure, and not because of Kolavans orders. He never spoke of his dream to sail without a mission from his leader, but his brother had seen right through him. It took a while to gain the respect of his comrades, however, after years of service here he had. He was granted permission to journey where he wanted, only if he continued his duty to rid the seas of their enemy, for a year’s time.

“Who will keep the ship safe?”

A smile formed on her lips, “Thace.”

His eyes widened, he hadn’t heard that name in years.

“Isn’t he on an away mission?”

“He was relocated to Oriande to join us. Probably Shiro’s doing. You know how he is with you.”

He sighed once again.

“I don’t know why they care.” He shook his head as he observed the deck.

The eyes of his crew quickly averted from him as he caught sight of them staring.

“Because despite the rumours, you’re actually a great captain.” She followed his gaze. “Not many get the opportunity to voyage for an adventure. Even if your expedition turns up with no answers, you gave them a better life for at least a year.”

He kept silent for a moment as the day began its transition to night, orange painted the blue skies as the sun set. The port of Oriande made an appearance along the horizon.

“One drink.” He told her.

She barked a laugh and patted his shoulder.

“Sure, you keep telling yourself that.” 

* * *

It was not one drink.

Or two. By the time he emptied out his fifth glass, he had collected his glasses as a reminder that he was a liar. The smack of his cup against the wooden table enabled cheers from his crew mates, many raised their own glasses to chug. The smiles of the people he cared for had distracted him from his plan for a quiet short night out. Yet, he couldn’t get upset at the turn of events.

“To Captain Kogane,” Nyma, the ship's bosun cheered.

Another order of ale was ordered, Keith raised his hands in defeat.

“If I take another, I’ll be too drunk.” He stood, making his chair scrape across the floor.

“That’s the point, man!” Rolo placed an arm around Keith’s shoulder and offered him a full cup with the other. “Just one more.”

He stared at the foaming liquid, licking his lips before he groaned and took the cup from his Chief Engineer. A round of applauses filled the room as he placed the drink to his lips and began to down it in one go. As he emptied the cup, he pressed the back of his hand to his mouth, to force down the last of his drink. That is, until something bubbling came up. He had no time to deduce if it was a disaster waiting to happen but when he opened his mouth a mammoth belch escaped his mouth. There was dead silence until there wasn’t. Everyone celebrated Keith’s victory of his sixth cup, while they hadn’t notice the man himself slip out of the cavern with a smile on his face.

His ears rang from noise of the celebration inside, the silence of night brought peace of mind. Undoubtedly drunk, Keith made his way through the streets of the luminous city. Filled with minerals that their ancestors dug up from beneath the land, a radiant glow of turquoise was forever casted throughout the land at night. They had no oil lamps or fires outside to light their way, only the power of mother Earth.

As he stumbled along, he managed to get to the docks. His vision was blurred by the alcohol, and he rested a hand on the railing as he shook his head clear. The faint sounds of splashing came from ahead and he squinted his eyes at the end of the dock, where two rowdy men were throwing bottles into the harbour.

“Ay,” he called out in a slur, pushing himself off the railing he trudged toward the litterers, “what the fuck do you think you're doing?”

The two men turned around to meet the swaying form of the famous Captain Kogane. Yet, despite the rumours, they both looked at one another with mischief.

“Cleaning up the filth,” one walked toward him, hands in his pocket.

Keith just stared at them, eyes glazed over in influence.

“Look, he’s too drunk to even talk.” the other laughed, resting his arm on his friend’s shoulder, “Maybe we should throw him out too.”

The stranger reached out and pushed Keith shoulder, thinking that he would stumble over without much fight. Instead, though, Keith was quick to launch the assaulter over his shoulder into the water. Before the other could respond, Keith was quick to draw his blade and press the tip to the man’s throat.

It would have been wise for him to yield, walk away without a scratch, yet he made the decision to pull out a dagger from his pocket to swing at him. Despite being drunk, it did not hinder his instincts. By dodging the attack by kneeling down on one leg, Keith used his free leg to the kick straight into the man’s chest, sending him flying to join his friend under the water. Once both gone, Keith fell over, sprawled across the dock.

“Fuck,” he mumbled before he rolled over and shoved his sword in his sheath.

The two men carried themselves out of the water and hurried off the docks to city, drenched, as Keith pulled himself up. Hanging onto the rope of his docked rowboat, he tumbled into it. He untied the knot and used his body weight to pull in the rope. He drew out of the dock, using his body as his strength for rowing. It wasn’t until he got midway between the docks and his anchored ship did he stop to rest, lying down with an arm hanging out, just lapping the water with his fingertips. His breath was uneven, the ale coursing through him.

“Too much,” he muttered as his stomach churned unhappily.

The rocking of the rowboat didn’t help. He swallowed down the unease in his throat that threatened to make him yack and took some deep breaths. The chill of the night soothed his nausea and he would have stay there all night if it wasn’t for the touch of something at his hand.

He pulled back his hand as fast as he opened his eyes. He was met with the twinkle of the stars and a wet hand. His heart raced as he glanced over to the edge of the boat. He stayed completely still as he waited.

It felt like someone’s hand held him. He couldn’t have been that drunk to have made up such an experience. He reached for his blade for the second time that night and pulled it out as he sat up. He pointed It toward the still water, yet there was nothing. He checked around him, but he found nothing but himself alone atop the dark waters. He pulled his brows together and rubbed his still damp hand against his pants.

He was about to put away his sword when the rope creaked against its pulleys. The rope was being pulled into the water, and quick. Keith took a moment to stare, before he lunged for it as it got to the tail end. If he were under any other state of mind, he wouldn’t have grabbed the rope and let it be pulled underneath the water. But drunk Keith wasn’t as intuitive, and as his hands gripped the line his body continued forward. The boat flipped over, sending him flying.

“Shit!” He swore as he plunged into the water.

It wasn’t until he was being pulled down, hands still wrapped around the rope did he let go. He began to swim up, but the depth of where he was dragged down with the heaviness of his clothes, he wasn’t quick enough to reach the surface before he lost his breath.

He covered his mouth with his hands as his other desperately tried to pull him. Too drunk to stay calm, he frantically tried everything he could to reach the surface, but his lung were burning, and his body drained of oxygen to try. His eyes began to close, despite all he could see was darkness, and the hand that tried to keep the water out of his mouth slowly drifted from his lips.

He needed to breath. Just one breath would be fine.

As he opened his mouth to inhale, knowing the water would flood his lungs, he was pleasantly met with softness that filled him with air. Something wrapped around his waist and he was pulled to the surface. But as he broke through the water, he floated in the hold, unmoving. His head was tilted to the side by a gentle touch, and he was gifted with another breath of air, softness gifting him life, before he was lifted onto a hard surface.

He was too tired to care. His mind left him as he drifted into unconsciousness. 

* * *

The softness of his pillow and blanket were the first he noticed when he woke up from his sleep. His eyes snapped open and he sat up. He was in his quarters, the lamps in his room dimmed that he barely made out his surroundings. His head thumped with an ache, his hangover had made an appearance.

He pulled the covered off from him and saw he was dressed in clothes that he had not worn the night before. Unsure of what happened, he furrowed his brows and left his bed toward his dresser.

After he dressed himself, he took a breath before he left his room. He placed his hat atop his head to cover his eyes from the daylight. Stepping up to the helm, he was met with Thace, Pidge and Matt, all gathered by the wheel.

“Good morning, Cap.” Pidge smirked, “Nice of you to join us.”

Keith grunted and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“What happened?”

“Oh man, you don’t remember?” Matt laughed, smacking his thigh as he kneeled over.

“Somehow you got to the side of the ship drenched and passed out.” Thace spoke.

He sighed, looking out toward the city. He had no idea what happened after he fell in the water. He had felt someone pull him out, somehow fill his lungs with air, but apparently not. .

“This is why I didn’t want to drink.” He crossed his arms and glared at pidge

“No, you didn’t want to come because you’re a nerd and have been obsessing over a creature that may or may not exist.” She mimicked him by crossing her own arms. “Don’t lie, you had fun.”

He huffed out.

“Fun wouldn’t be the right word.”

“Point is,” Thace interrupted their bantering, “you should be more careful. You may be a captain, but you’re still vulnerable to intoxication. Be careful next time.”

“Yeah, well,” Keith sighed, “There won’t be a next time. We need to focus on finding these Nanti before fall hits. Once the leaves begin to fall, we won’t be able to sail for a half years’ time.”

He turned to look at the water, the reflection of the sun made the sea bright blue like the sky. As Pidge and Matt left to for preparations, Keith leaned forward onto the rails and waited for Thace to meet beside him. He knew he would.

“You sure you’re okay?” he asked.

“When did you get soft?” Keith looked over at him with a smile. “I’m fine. I’m not sure how I got back but oceans blessings that I did.”

“Shiro gave me specifics orders to make sure you were unharmed and report back to him. When you were unmoving and unconscious, I-”

“I know,” he frowned, “but really, I’m fine. Send my regards to my brother and tell him I miss him.”

Thace smiled and nodded before he left to do just that.

As they gathered their supplies, Pidge and Keith got into one rowboat and Matt and Hunk set out on another.

“Make sure you buy some wine!” Pidge called out to her brother.

Matt threw up his middle finger and turned away to help Hunk row towards the docks. Instead of following, Keith took the hand of the oars and began to row around the Island. The sea was calm today, the breeze light. It was a perfect day for exploring around the Island, and Keith would take full advantage of it.

“There should be a cove right here,” Pidge mentioned as she looked up from their map, “well, the map says it’s here but it’s not. Must be old or something.”

Keith looked over at the shore, pursing his lips before he turned the boat towards the beach.

“Might as well check it out,” Keith respond.

When they beached their boat, Pidge announced they would stay back and collect samples. She pulled off her boots and rolled up her well-worn trousers before he went into the swallow waters.

“Shoot your signal when you’ve finished.” Keith ordered before he turned to the trees before him.

He sighed before entering the dense forest. He shuffled through his notes of his booklet that laid tucked in his jacket pocket, reading through the observations of past searchers.    


 

> **_Likely to be deep in the ocean, as the myths say. They would be unable to be touched by man if this is the case, however, there have been sightings in Oriande, the birthplace of merpeople’s legends, during the tail end of the summer. I hypothesize that they have mating habits similar to other species that mate during this time of the year._ **

   
He bit his lip, his heart fluttered in excitement at the prospect of meeting one of these fantastical beings. He put away the book, and worked his way through the trees, until they were no more. The cove, the very one Pidge couldn’t find, lay deep into the island. More like a large lake, Keith walked along the sand beside the water. Protected by the trees, the area seemed as if it was untouched by man. That was, until he saw something up ahead.

At first he thought it was a snake, and pulled out his sword and stayed a few meters away, but as it lay still, Keith inched closer towards it.

“Rope?” He questioned aloud, and kneeled forward to pick it up.

It didn’t look as if it came from the forest, so somehow, it had been delivered to this place without any footprint of trace of another. He was confused until he wasn’t.

Memories of the rope on his rowboat being pulled under the water and disappearing after he fell in returned to him. This was his. He wrapped the rope around his hand, brushing off the sand. He pulled the reminds of it from the water but it was latched onto something underneath the surface. He pulled harder, feeling it nudge toward him before it was suddenly pulled forward and he fell face first into sand.

“What the oceans hells,” Keith pulled himself up and tugged on the rope while it pulled him in closer towards the shore, “again with this.”

He yanked on the rope, which in hindsight wasn’t the great ideas considering how close he was to the water already, but his recklessness was what made Keith who he was. As he jerked the rope, a hand at the other end was pulled out from the water. He continued pulling, which lead to an arm, and then a face.        

A bright blue-eyed gorgeous tanned man blinked the water out of his eyes and met Keith’s that were wide in shock. There was a beat of silence before the man furrowed his brows and pulled on the rope. Keith tripped forward before he caught his footing before he pulled back.

Thus began the game of tug of war.

“This is from _my_ rowboat,” Keith gritted out from his clenched teeth, “it’s mine!”

A snarl came from the man as Keith dug his heel into the sand to use his body weight to pull him from the water. Keith fell back as he finally freed the rope from the grasp of the other. He sat up, ready to fight whoever thought it was a good idea to mess around with him, get his clothes dirty, but his voice caught in his throat when the man before him pushed himself off from the sand that attached to his damp hair that clung to his face, body covered, and apparently, a tail.

Bright blue, like the man’s eyes, the shimmer of his scales against the sun's light was almost hypnotizing. The fin blended from the tails vibrant blue to salted white.

“Holy shit,” his voice found him, and the other as the man stopped cleaning himself off to look at Keith.

There was silence as Keith dropped his hands into his lap and a smile formed on his face.

“You’re real.” He whispered as he looked around it’s body again.

The creature eyed him as they gnawed on their lip,"I guess I am now." 

The other followed Keith’s example and trailed their bright eyes down his body. Keith shivered under the gaze.

“How is that possible?” Keith breathed out in awe. “What are your vocal cords like? Can you speak underwater? Or do you use echolocation? What it’s like under-”

Two hands, covered in sand, covered Keith’s mouth.

“I know I talk a lot but damn.” They smirked. “How about we start with introductions. I’m Lance.”

Lance pulled away his hands from Keith face and offered his hand to shake, “you must be gorgeous.”

There was a beat of silence as Keith registered what Lance said to him.

“This is how you Humans greet each other, right?” He tilted his head to the side, uncertainty written across his face when Keith didn’t respond.

Keith opened his mouth, to introduce himself, but he couldn’t stop himself from the bubble of bliss that was building up inside of him when the most exciting thing he’s ever dreamed of experiencing in his was sitting there, right in front of him. He clasped his hand with the other and pulled it to his chest.

“I’ve been waiting my whole life to meet you,” He whispered almost, but was quick to let go as he registered what he had said.

Lance blinked a few times before a sly smirk plastered itself on his lips.

“If I knew humans could be so forward I would have revealed myself a long time ago,” Lance crawled on his hands toward Keith.

It seems all of Keith instincts flew out the window and he let this fantastic creature pull himself on top of his legs. Practically sitting on his lap, tail heavy, Lance rested a hand beside Keith hip and used the other hand to draw flirtatious circles on his chest.

“So what’s your name, handsome?” Lance batted his eyes, his long lashes making it increasingly difficult to pay attention

“Uhh,” He thought for a second before he shook his head in clarity, “I’m Keith.”

“Sounds powerful,” Lance purred.

Keith swallowed. The sensation of Lance touching him was a lot of take in, let alone his existence. He pulled back slightly at the proximity and took hold of his hand that was touching his chest.

“You’re awfully close,” he whispered nervously.

“Oh,” Lance pulled back, suddenly self-conscious, and retreated to the edge of the water, “sorry.”

Keith shook his head.

“No it’s okay, I just…” He searched for the words, “I’ve never met someone like you. No one has. There are only stories, legends, of merpeople so I’m trying really hard not to lose my mind.”

Lance blinked and chuckled lightly.

“Yeah, we’re not really supposed to break the surface, let alone reveal ourselves.” Lance looked towards the water and sighed before turning back to Keith. “But I didn’t feel like following the rules.”

“Well, I’m glad you didn’t follow them.” Keith smiled slightly.

Lance met his smile, red lightly dusted his cheeks.

“I’m getting mixed signals here… you sound interested but maybe it’s different for us.”

“Uhh,” Keith blinked dumbfounded, “I mean… you’re… you’re gorgeous.”

“Yeah?” Lance beamed while his tail gently lapped the water.

He smiled brightly yet somehow still bashful.

Keith nodded, the flutter of his heart was loud in his ears. Lance’s smile was beautiful, it made him speechless. He couldn’t really complain though, especially when Lance laid back on the sand and arched his back as he raised his arms above his head. Throwing his head toward Keith, Lance heavy lidded eyes met his.

“You’ve waited your whole life to meet me,” he repeated what Keith had said earlier but added, “don’t you also want to touch me?”

Keith gulped, he couldn’t help but nod his head as his eyes looked down Lance’s torso. His abdomen lean and rippled with muscles as his tan skin merged perfectly with his scaled tail. He licked his lips and he shuffled to sit beside the modeling merman. His hand hovered above his chest, shaking in anticipation.

Lance huffed out in frustration.

“Come on,” he whined, “do it.”

Keith fingertips gently grazed tanned skin. As the sensation of soft skin made contact with his, he pressed his hands on the others body and slowly glided his hands down along his chest to his waist. The lower Keith got, the more Lance shook. He could feel the vibrations at his hands.

“Are you okay?” Keith asked.

Lance nodded.

“You can touch my tail if you want.”

Keith perked up at the offer and didn’t hesitate this time around, quick to place his hands where tan skin met scales. It was surprisingly smooth, just has his skin had been but slightly slimy. Feeling his tail down to where the thigh would be if he had legs, Keith lightly squeezed.

A whimper made him snap his eyes up to lances face. Lance was now covering his face with his hands. At the sight of that, Keith quickly retracted his hands.

“Sorry,” He shuffled back, “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Lance shook his head and lowered his hands after another moment.

“Not pain,” He corrected, a little breathless.

“Oh,” Keith didn’t know what else to say.

This was a lot for him to take in, but he wasn’t willing to stop. Or so he didn’t want to. At the sound of a pop and the sight of a red streak in the sky, Keith sighed. However, Lance’s reaction wasn’t quite the same. Panicked, the merman sat up and looked up with terror. Ready to scurry away, into the water.

“It’s okay,” Keith reassured and placed a hand on Lance’s bicep, “that’s one of my crew mates. I must have been gone for some time.”

He was skeptical, but his shoulders relaxed nevertheless, “You have to go?”

Keith nodded. “Pidge will get worried if I don’t meet her within a half hour. But I don’t, I mean, would you- uh, you...”

He was a loss for words. He didn’t know how to verbalize his desire to see Lance again. He would never forget this, but he never wanted it to end.

“Are you busy tomorrow?” He managed to get out, looking at the sand in front of him.

“Can’t say I have anything planned,” there was a light playfulness in his tone that made Keith meet his eyes, “what did you have in mind?”

Lance reached out and brushed the sand that he had left on his face when he covered Keith's mouth.

“I’ve been wanting to understand your species for my entire life. I don’t expect you to let me do anything to you that you don’t like, but I really enjoyed… um, touching you today?” He finished off as a question, confused with his wording but it wasn’t far from the truth.

Lance hummed as he dropped his hand from Keith’s face to run down his chest.

“So you want to touch me again?”

Keith swallowed nervously, “I mean, yeah, but I’d love to get to know you.”

Lance eyes widened at the brutal honesty that came from the man beside him. It seemed those were the right words to words to use as his face flushed in an delightful blush. He looked away, trying to hold down a smile on his face.

“I’d like that,”

Keith matched his smile, but instead of continuing on in their intimate moment he stood up. He brushed the sand that clung onto him before he reached down to pick up his rope. Lance, however, pulled it away from his grasp and held it to his chest.

“This is mine,” he declared with a pout.

“It’s from my boat, last night it happened to get caught on something. Probably got-” Keith cut himself off as he furrowed his brows in thought. “That was you, wasn’t it?”

Lance looked away and shrugged as he attempted to keep down a forming smile.

“You almost got me killed.” He added.

He wasn’t really upset, but was worth mentioning. Lance gasped, hand pressed overtop where his heart would be, dramatically.

“I would never! I saved you, didn’t I?”

“Only after you pulled me into the water.” Keith countered playfully.

Lance shooed him off, “Semantics”

Keith chuckled at that, before he looked towards the sky. The red streak gone, out of sight.

“I’ll see you hear tomorrow, around midday?” He asked, once more to be sure.

Lance nodded, “Sounds like a date, handsome.”

And the merman had the audacity to wink.

Fuck, Keith was so screwed. He raised his hand in an effort to bid him farewell because there was no way he could speak anymore. His body shook from adrenaline, and he peered over his shoulder to get one last look at the stunning merman smiling down at the rope that rested on his tail before he made his way through the trees.  

He managed to control his smile by the time he met up with Pidge on the beach. She was waiting beside their boat, dressed and ready to go. She hadn’t noticed anything off about him, and if she did she hadn’t mentioned it. They parted from the beached and rowed their way to his ship. When they got aboard, Keith made a beeline for his quarters. He shut his door behind him and rest against it for a moment, letting his lips break into a smile.

He had done it. He managed to somehow, from sheer drunkenness apparently, stumble upon a merperson. And he was amazing, everything he could ever imagine and more.

He sat down at his desk and pulled out the notebook from his jacket. Opening up the pages to the last entry, Keith pulled a quill and began to write. 

 

 

> _**Today, I met one of them. Oriande was the prime location, however, the merman was on the other side of the island, in a hidden lake in the depth of the forest. His name is Lance, and he was beautiful.** _

 

* * *

Keith pulled passed the lining of trees and entered the secluded lake. The map didn’t show it so he would need to draw it out the next time he was on board. He had decided to come alone, explaining to Pidge that she could just drop him off and continue on down the shore if she wished. 

“Keith,” Lance's voice caught his attention from the water, “You came!”

Keith met his eyes and gave him a smile.

“Of course. I promised, didn’t I?”

Lance bit his lip before he pulled himself ashore. Keith wasn’t sure if Lance was purposefully trying to allure him, but somehow he had curves in all the right places as he rested on the beach. Keith sat next to him with enough room between them that wouldn’t come off as too eager. Because he was. Very much so. But he wouldn’t let himself get too excited like he had yesterday and actually learn about Lance.

“So,” Lance started, “What did you want to do today?”

“If you’re okay with it, I had some question about merpeople.”

Lance nodded, leaning forward in interest as Keith took out his booklet, alongside a quill.

“So, where do you live exactly?” He started out simple.

“The ocean, close to the dry lands but far enough where you walker's can’t reach us.” Lance said as he looked down at the pages Keith began scribbling on. “What are you doing?" 

“Hm?” Keith stopped and looked up from his book. “Oh, I’m just writing down what you’re saying.”

“Writing down? Like on stone or?”

Keith shook his head and offered his book to Lance.

“These pages are made from cutting trees, like the ones around you, that can use used to absorb liquid or be drawn on for anything.” Keith explained as best as he could.

Lance turned the book open and flipped the pages until it stopped at Keith most recent entry. Keith flailed and reached to nab the book back, but Lance leaned away, keeping the book far from his reach.

“What’s wrong with this page?”

“Nothing, nothing. It’s just, it’s a personal journal of mine.” He made a grabby hand motion for it.

Lance hummed, searching his eyes for any sign that he was lying but found none. He passed the book back to Keith, but scooted himself closer, almost leaning on his shoulder to look at the page.

“What else do you want to know?”

“Uh,” He thought, “how do you breath? It looks like you can breathe above water, does that mean you need to come up to the surface for air or do you have some sort of system that allows you to convert the oxygen in the water into a breathable substance?”

Lance smiled at his rambling, but answered him by revealing his gills. Keith dropped him book and quill at the sight of his respiratory organ. Tempted to reach out, Keith raised his hand but made no attempt to touch him. At least not yet.

“Wow,” he breathed out, “how did you do that?”

Lance smiled in satisfaction at Keith’s response.

“It’s sort of…” Lance thought of the word, “like a camouflage? A defensive mechanism, generally when we come above water we hide them.”

Lance glanced down at Keith hands and smiled.

“Do you want to touch them?” Lance coaxed as he leaned his head to the side to give him better access.

Keith nodded and gently touched the moist flesh. Surprised at its softness, he gently slid his finger atop the gill.

“Does it hurt? When you do the thing?”

“The thing?” Lance smiled at his words. “Not really, I guess it would be the same as hiding my hunting fangs?”

Keith raised his a brow in question.

“You want to see?” He asked.

Keith nodded, but quickly wished he didn’t as Lance’s normal looking teeth, one similarly to his, suddenly vanished into sharp shark like teeth. Lance looked down right monstrous. He knew he was a predator, and Lance could kill him at any time. He swallowed nervously.

Lance noticed Keith change in demeanour and retracted them.

“Sorry,” He said and covered his mouth, apprehensive.

“No, no, it’s okay. I just… you’re really amazing and I realized that you could really kill me if we ever were fighting.”

“I would never harm you,” Lance pouted and rested his hands on his tail. 

Keith smiled at his proclamation. Lance wasn’t a monster despite his terrifying looking teeth. The Lance that was sulking because he thought his new companion feared him, wouldn't harm him.

“Never?” Keith smiled. “What about when you almost drowned-”

“Okay, next question!” Lance cut him off in frustration, smacking his tail down on the surface of the water.

Keith chuckled as looked back down at his notes. They went back and forth like this, Keith asked questions about Lance and the merman gladly answered. It wasn’t until Keith got to the end of his notes that he realized where the day was headed.

“What about…” He cut himself short.

Lance squinted his eyes.

“You’re not scared of me, are you?”

“No, just, there are some questions that may be a little, uh, personal so I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.” Keith admitted.

Lance tilted his head to the side in confusion. 

“You already touched my tail though? What else is more personal than that?” 

Keith cleared his throat, suddenly warm. There wasn’t a lot of things that made Keith scared. Killing people? Nope. War? Probably? But asking a beautiful merman about something incredibly intimate, had his heart beating a mile a minute.

“How do you...” he pursed his lips before sighing, “reproduce?”

Lance widen his eyes, taken aback for a moment, but he was quick to compose his shock. If Keith had blinked, he would have missed it. Lance leaned forward, with hooded eyes and dragged his fingertip up Keith’s leg.

“Want me to show you?”

Keith blinked, processing what he just heard, before his face flushed red. Lance smiled shyly at his response, pulling back to watch Keith grow flustered.

“I don’t think that would work.” Keith cleared his throat, bashfully.

“And how would you know?" 

Keith licked his lip in thought, which didn’t go unnoticed by Lance. The merman flicked his tail in excitement as he mustered up the courage glide his hand down his chest, his fingers slid down his abdomen, all the way down to his pelvis.  

“Do you want to see me, Keith?” Lance cooed.

Lance’s hand rest right above a closed appendage. Keith’s heart skipped a beat, transfixed on the area Lance’s hand rested on his body. He didn’t know what he should do and he was afraid that anything he would do would ruin the moment. He couldn’t deny that he had gotten hot under his collar, his pants felt a little tight.

“Is that, uh, where you...” Keith tried to formulate words but it was hard to wrap his head around someone showing them such an intimate place. 

“Want to see?” Lance asked one more, breathlessly; lust laced in his tone.

Keith didn’t know what to say to that, so he just nodded slightly with a flushed face.

He couldn’t believe what was happening, but Lance’s slit began to twitch before it flowered outward, revealing two wet holes with the tip of his cock poking out from one of them. Keith’s mouth involuntarily watered, and he swallowed loudly. If he was unsure if he was hard before, Keith most definitely was now. As Lance’s cock began to push out from it’s slit, Keith’s abdomen clenched and his cock twitched. He quickly ripped his eyes away from the sight. He wanted to keep on looking, to drink up Lance till he was drowning, but his heart ached from more than just excitement. Anxiety filled Keith’s chest, it gripped him. So he turned away and he took deep breaths to calm himself down.

“Keith?”

“Yes?” He gritted his teeth, to keep his voice sounding normal despite him feeling absolutely incredibly wrecked.

And that was just from showing him, Keith couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to slip inside-

No, no no no. He wasn’t going there. Nu huh, not today. Nope. Keep it PG, buddy.

In spite of his attempts to remove himself from the intimate moment, he was painfully aroused.

“Did you not like me?” Lance’s voice sounded hurt, and Keith snapped his head around to meet the dejected form of the merman hunched over, hands covering his slit.

“No, no, it was great! Absolutely fantastic. Seriously amazing.” He spewed out verbal diarrhea. “I’m just, um, I’m a little, uh… um…. Y'know.”

He hoped Lance would understand the message. He was turned on while he was doing research and it felt wrong to have these reactions, especially to someone who was trying to help them with said research. Lance, bless his heart, flickered his eyes down to Keith lap, and while his face held no response to how he might be feeling as the sight of the bulge, his tail flicked repetitively.

“Are you unsheathed?” Lance asked, nostrils flaring. 

Keith bit his lip.

“Humans don’t quite work that way, we… uh, are always unsheathed. Or at least males are.” He swallowed, trying to explain in a professional manner while Lance was making it incredibly hard (hah) to when he kept staring at his hard on.

“Oh,” Confused, Lance met his eyes, “then how do you know when someone wants to mate with you?”

Keith blinked a few times, and flushed for an entirely different reason. Because if he was being honest with himself, he knew of sex but his experience was limited. 

“I guess when someone asks you but I'm not sure though, I don’t get propositioned very often... or at all.”

“What!” Lance’s tail stop twitching, and slapped down harshly against the water. “What do you mean? You’re beautiful! How dare no one shower you in the affection you deserve!”

Keith smiled at Lance’s tantrum.

“It’s quite alright, I’m used to being on my own.” He sighed, looking off towards the lake. “My crew is enough for me.”  

Lance was quick to grab his attention, turning his face to him as he placed a hand on his cheek.

“You _are_ worthy.” Lance stated. 

Keith eyes flickered between Lance’s blues eyes. The fiery passion in them warmed Keith’s chest.  He truly felt important in this moment, more so than he did when he was behind the wheel of his ship. Even then some when he was allowed to stand by Shiro’s side in battle. Something he hadn't had since he was a kid, but even then it was fleeting. This was euphoric, being this close, with a gentle soul. 

“So are you,” Keith whispered, looking down at his lips for a moment.  

Lance noticed, licking his own, hungrily. A small warble noise escaped the merman, almost a purr, before he leaned forward ever so slowly. Keith heart was all he heard, the beat in his ears as his breath hitched. The merman's lips hovered above Keith’s, foreheads pressed together, nose nudging. Keith could practically taste his lips, sweetness with the salt of the sea. His body vibrated with excited as Lance’s lips brushed against his/ And just as Lance began to press, the sound of the flare shot through the sky. They both separated to look the red streak appear before them.

“You have to go,” Lance almost whined, “but when will I see you again?”

His voice sounded so broken, and Keith couldn’t deny him his presence if that’s what he wished.

“Tomorrow,” he promised as he did yesterday, “we will meet.”

Lance smiled, sweetly. It wasn’t hidden under seductive undertones, it was of genuine adoration, happiness, and them some. He’s seen quite the number of people, sailing the seas, but Lance was the most loveliest person Keith ever laid eyes on. Keith didn’t know how he was supposed to leave after that face, he wanted to stay desperately but he had a responsibility to his ship and his crew.

“Tomorrow then,”

“Wait!” Lance called out before he disappeared into the trees.

Keith turned around and Lance swam to closer to the part, pulling himself on land with an outstretched arm and closed fist.

“Take this,” Lance implored.

Keith laid open his hand and the merman dropped a bright blue scale in his palm. His eyes widened, flickering up from the gift to Lance’s eyes.

“I have your rope, and now you have something from me.” Lance rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Is that alright?”

Keith clutched the scale to his chest and nodded. “Thank you.”

* * *

“Stop smiling, it’s creeping me out.” Pidge threw her hat at Keith.

Keith grabbed it and dangled it overboard.

“No wait, smile all you want,” She reached, “Keith please!”

He chuckled and placed it on her head.

“Rude,” she grumbled, “but seriously, what’s got you so smiley?”

“I’m not smiley?” He turned down his lips into a frown.

Pidge snorted.

“Right, okay.” She rolled her eyes and leaned back against the railing, arms crossed as she watched the crew sit around on deck with lit lanterns. “And the seas aren’t filled with fish shit.”

Keith sighed, knowing that she wouldn’t let up even if he wanted to.

“It just feels like i’m getting really close,” He admitted, “Finding out the truth and all.”

He didn’t want to tell her that he had found what he had been looking for, truthfully, scared that once he revealed that he indeed had found a merperson then his time alone with Lance would be constantly disturbed. However, he knew that thought was dangerous. Not in the way that one would expect, being alone with a creature that could tear him apart limb from limb. It was dangerous because Keith could admit, at least to himself, that he was starting to get attached. Feel things he knew he shouldn’t with a being that wasn’t human.

It wouldn’t be exactly appropriate, to have certain desires for an amphibious creature, but Lance was something more than just that. He genuinely enjoyed the mermans company, filled the emptiness that Keith didn’t understand. Maybe because Lance was the first to show certain interest in him, but regardless of the reason, he couldn’t stay away.

“Hey Hunk,” Keith called out to his cook.

Hunk stood up from his seat and walked over to his Captain.

“Yes, sir?”

“I told you to stop calling me that.” Keith rolled his eyes. “I need a favour.”

“What can I do for you?”

“Can you make me some food for tomorrow? I have a feeling it’s going to be a long day”

* * *

Keith wasn’t too worried about missing Lance when he entered the secluded lake, however he sure hadn’t expected him to be resting on the beach, arms behind his head as he sun bathed. Keith couldn’t help but smile as he made his way to the merman. 

“Enjoying the sun?” Keith asked, looking down at him.

“Well, not anymore since you’re blocking it.” He peaked one eye open to smirk up at him.

Keith chuckled and sat down on the sand beside him. Instead of pulling out his book, he revealed a small sack. As he untied the knot, Lance sat up with curiosity.

“What’s that?”

“Just fabric to carry food,” Keith unraveled the cloth and displayed slices of bread with a butter spread already lathered atop each one. “Would you like to try?”

Lanced nodded excitedly, and bit into the offered slice. His eyes fell shut as he chewed and swallowed, sighing happily as he took another bite. Keith eyes danced along Lance’s features, pleased his gift had made Lance happy.

“This is so good,” Lance moaned, “I can’t even describe how it tastes.”

Keith placed the food between them.

“You’re more than welcome to it all. I brought it for you.” Keith smiled.

Lance blinked a few times because his cheeks flushed red.

“For me?” Lance held Keith’s gaze.

Keith nodded.

Instead of finishing off the bread like Keith had hoped, Lance groaned and put his face in his hands, bread forgotten.

“What’s wrong?” Keith lifted his hand to rest on the merman's shoulder, worried. “Did it upset your stomach?”

Lance shook his head, “No.”

Keith waited patiently for Lance to removed his hands from his face. When he did, his face was still flushed, but his eyes were glazed over, darker than usual. Almost as if they were wet but no tears were seen.

“Are you hurt?”

Lance sighed, biting his lip before he leaned forward toward Keith.

“You know, yesterday, when you asked about how I mate?” Lance’s husky voice made Keith heartbeat suddenly frantic.

“Yeah,” he croaked out.

Lance pulled himself on top of Keith, as he did the first day but this time he rested his stomach on his. He pushed down slightly, making Keith lay back onto the sand. 

“Before mating, there’s some courting that needs to be done. To show your interest and devotion.” Lance rested a hand beside Keith’s head while the other rubbed up and down his chest. “First you give a gift. It could be anything, but it has to convey meaning.”

Keith just stared up at Lance, the sun blocked out by his body made him look angelic, blessing him with gentle touches.

“Next, you have to learn the body of your interest for compatibility ” Lance brushed his fingers up to his lips, gently gliding his thumb across his cheek.

Keith licked his lips, “and then?” He asked breathless.

Lance smiled, tilting his head to the side.

“Then,” Lance started, hand stopped just above Keith’s pelvis, “you prove you can provide for them.”

Keith’s breath hitched, eyelids hooded, spellbound to Lance.

“Lance,” Keith whispered, overwhelmed.

A shiver went down his spine, Lance’s voice thick with lust. It rippled a whimper from Keith’s throat, and before he knew it, the merman leaned forward, just hovering above his lips. His breath uneven, Lance closed his eyes as he waited for the other. 

With uncertainty,  Keith filled the gap, soft lips pressed to his. Keith could only describe it as heavenly. Lance held one hand at his neck, pressing him into the kiss. Each touch from the merman, every brush, made Keith melt. His chest full as their their lips danced, tasting, pressing, breathing each other in. It was almost too animalistic, it was entirely raw. A whimper escaped Lance’s mouth when Keith raised his hands to the merman's chest, fingertips tracing along his collarbone.

Keith wished this could last forever, the sensation was addicting, but when Lance’s hand slipped from his neck, to brush down his clothed chest to his pelvis, he was torn from bliss.

“Wait.” Keith shivered and pushed Lance’s touch away.

Lance met his eyes, lips turned down and eyes sad as the lust filled darkness faded back into the blue beauties he had come to be familiar with.

“Sorry,” Lance murmured while he pulled back to sit on the shoreline.

“Why are you apologizing?” A question he already knew the answer to but this, flirting and or pursuing a romantic interest, was out of Keith realm.

He wouldn’t deny that the possibility of glimpsing more into Lance’s life and who he was didn’t excite him, but at the sight of the dejected Lance the realization hit him out of nowhere, sneaking up from behind. The thought of leaving Lance upset made his heartache uncomfortably. It strangled him with the sensation of falling but the ground is never there to catch him. He was desperate between wanting to understand and giving everything Lance wants just to see him smile again.

“Because it’s weird how eager I am, right?” He laughed, too self deprecating.

Keith didn’t like that answer one bit.

“Is that common for your people?” Keith asked, “Being… uh?”

“Forward?”

Keith nodded, and the merman shook his head in response before he looked down to his tail. 

It was just a Lance thing then. Keith had to wonder though, why Lance was propositioning him instead of someone of his own species. Not that he was complaining, however it did raised a multitude of questions for the Captain.

“My kin are incredibly prude, and courting usually happens over the course of months, sometimes half a years time. But i'm not so traditional. I enjoy the prospect of intimacy during courtship.”

Keith raised his brows, baffled.

“Have you been courting me?”

“Yeah,” Lance face went red, and he covered his cheek with his hands as he looked off away from Keith shyly. “The rope and scale, our touches, even gifting food are common rituals.”

“I don’t understand.” Keith shook his head, confused. “Me?"   
  
Confused, because he never had this. Never in his life had he been propositioned, been pursued, or thought he'd ever get the chance at being this close to affection. Even platonic love was rare to him. 

Lance huffed, lowering his hands from his face.

“Because for the first time I don’t feel held back. I met someone on my own with no rules to dictate how I should act. You were the first human who I spoke with. And you’ve been so gentle and kind, so different from what I’ve been told humans would do. I bet by now someone else would have tried to steal me away.” Lance took a breath from his speech and swallowed nervously. “You’re the first for so many things for me and even if it’s been a few days, I still want you.”

It was the combination of the words and the look of determination on the mermans face that made Keith crumble. Like bricks that were held together by the conviction of solitude. Lance broke him down so easily. 

“How can you be so sure of me?” His voice shook, insecure. “We’ve just met.”

Lance reached out for Keith’s hand with no hesitation and placed the hand atop his chest, where his heart was.

“Because it feels right “ The merman gently squeezed his hand. “I feel full right here, every time I’m with you." 

Lance dropped his hand, letting it slip from his grasp.

“But it’s okay if you don’t feel that way,” He fiddled with the scales where his thighs would have been if he were human, “I’ve been told I can be too much.”

Keith gathered his courage and scooted closer to Lance.

“You’re not too much.” Keith spoke softly, despite the fact his heart raced in his chest. “This is new to me. I’ve never had this happen to me before. I'm not sure how I’m supposed to.. respond or act."   
  
He swallowed, nervously. Was he allowed to want this? To be selfish and give into what he desired? 

There was no one around to stop him, no battle he had to pursue, so what did he have to lose?   
  
"But I do know I want to enjoy my time with you." He cleared his throat as it went hoarse. "I want to learn more about you.”

Lance met his eyes, lips no longer tugged down in a frown. His eyes searched Keith’s for a moment before a small smile formed.

“Okay.” The flush on Lance’s cheeks spread lovingly down his neck.

They both laid back on the sand to talk under the sunlight. The talked about nothing important, about the sky while Lance munched on the buttered pieces of bread, answering in between mouthfuls of food. Keith was thankful for the easy transition, the mood thick with tension that a part of him worried that he had somehow made a mistake. That he hadn't done this right. But he kept that fear to himself and enjoyed whatever time he had left with Lance. 

It wasn’t until the sun began to set did Keith need to leave.

“But there was no red in the sky.” Lance pouted unhappily.

“I came alone today,” He sat up, brushing off the sand that clung onto him, “My crew mate had other tasks to attend to.”

The merman hummed in thought, looking out towards the lake.

“Will you come tomorrow?” He asked, digging his finger into the sand while he looked up through his lashed at Keith.

He smiled and nodded.

* * *

“You can skip one day.” Pidge crossed her arms as she watched her Captain prepare a boat with high winds. “The skies are grey and the winds high. You and I both know a storm is coming.”

He shook his head, pursing his lips as he looked out to the rough water. He couldn’t deny Pidge’s observation, if it were anyone else but him going, he would order them to stay. But, he couldn’t leave Lance to wait for no one.

“I have to,” He promised Lance. “Lower both anchors when you bring her into the harbour.”

He set off without another word. His boat rocked unsteadily as the waves pushed against him. With strenuous effort, he managed to reach shore, further down from where he normally pulled in but it made no difference. He walked down beach, wind blew his hair wildly, and turned into the familiar parting of trees.

The lake surface was uneven, winds strong enough to break the peaceful stillness he’d come to know. As he searched along the sand surrounding the lake, Lance was nowhere to be seen.

“Lance?” Keith called out, worried.

He didn’t want to think of anything terrible, but with the seas so uneven and he couldn’t help but jump to terrible scenarios where Lance might have gotten hurt. All because of him. He swallowed the bubble of anxiety in his chest and called his name again.

“Keith?”

Keith whipped his head to Lance who was skimming through the water toward him. He had some of his rope around a shoulder while the rest drifted behind him in the water.

“What are you doing here?” Lance swam up to him, pulling himself onto the shore. “You shouldn’t be here. The air smells of violent storms, I would have understood if you hadn't come.”

Lance face was filled with worry, no ounce of happiness for his appearance was evident which hurt a little.

“But I promised you,” Keith balled his hands into fists.

Lance’s face fell into softness, a small smile with a flush of his cheeks pulled on Keith’s heartstrings.

“You’re such a pearl.” Lance shook his head fondly. “But you really shouldn’t be here.”

Keith tried not to frown, after all, he risked a great deal just to be here. But he knew Pidge’s word were true, even Lance understood without even a hint of selfishness. Unlike him, a selfish pirate who couldn’t stay away from his treasure.

Keith shook his head at the thought.

The winds grew stronger, and the clap of thunder rippled through the air. Lance flinched, eyes wide at the sky.

“Where will you go?” Keith raised his voice over the increasing noise of the storm.

“I’ve never been to the surface during a storm,” He admitted fearfully, “the waves were strong enough to carry me out if I hadn’t been careful. I don’t trust them, so I’ll stay here but Keith, you need to get back to your ship. You can’t hide in the water like I can. You need to go!”

Keith bit his lip as he searched the clouds, a flicker lightning made its way across the sky. Then, heavy rained followed.

“Go!” Lance yelled, eyes wide at the fury of the weather.

Keith took a step back, eyes too caught onto Lance’s panicked expression, before another another crackle of thunder tore him from the lake. He ran through the trees, truly upset with his action. He had risked his life. It was absurd, and while he didn’t regret it, he would if he didn’t make it out alive. When his boots met sand, he charged down towards his boat. His legs burned at the resistance, the difficulty of running through soft terrain put strain on him. The rain poured down, almost painfully. If it weren’t for the promise, Keith would be smiling at the grey skies, eyes closed, on his ship. But here he was, pulling his boat into the waters.

He climbed in, a puddle already forming where his feet rested. He paddled out as hard as he could, unable to sea ahead or behind him. The bite of the wind at his fingertips had Keith’s grip on the oars weak and one slipped from his hold. It snapped off against a wave, leaving him with one. He gritted his teeth and kept rowing, but soon followed the snap of the second oar. Keith cursed, stranded between the island and his ship, without any way of reaching both. Only the waves to push him.

He tried not to panic; he was a Captain who sailed the seas. But he would be left to drown if he didn’t think of something. The boat had filled up fast, water now at his ankles.

“Keith!” Lance’s voice, drowned out by the fall of rain onto the seas surface.

The merman gripped the edge of the boat, pulling himself up into view.

“What are you doing here?” Keith yelled.

“I’ll push you,” He told him and dove back into the water.

“Lance!” Keith cried out, searching the water.

Suddenly his boat was pushed forward. Keith gripped the sides of the boat as it cut through the growing waves. He couldn’t tell where they were at this point, visibility barely only a few meters around him, but soon after Lance had pushed him up against his ship and breached the surface again. 

“Quickly,” Lance told him.

As the merman let go, Keith grabbed his wrist, stopping him from disappearing into the sea again.

“I can’t let you go in this.” Keith pressed his forehead to Lance’s, eyes boring into his. “Come with me." 

Lance searched Keith’s eyes, his own wide and frightened.

“Please,” Keith begged.

After another moment, Lance nodded. Keith quickly hooked the boat to the ship before he pulled the merman out of the water. He placed him in his lap to slip his arms underneath his back and tail. He stood, carrying Lance bridal style as the boat began to rise from the sea. Lance wrapped his arms around Keith neck, breath uneven as Keith crew appeared before them. At least the entirety of Keith’s fleet stood there while they held on the ropes that kept them elevated. Keith stepped on the railing of his ship and landed gently on the wooden deck.

He paid no mind to the shock and widen eyes that stared at the merman in his arms. Lance leaned away from their stares, obviously uncomfortable with the attention. 

“All crew inside,” He ordered, “ready to debrief at nightfall in the hull.”

“Ay, captain.” They called in acknowledgement.

He walked by Thace, pressing Lance to him slightly as he ordered, “No one other than my first and second officer is permitted to come to my quarters.”

Thace nodded, not questioning Keith's command. Not even Pidge, who Keith failed to notice that stood beside Thace, wouldn’t. The weather and rains were harsh, but the shock of their captain carry the entire purpose of their expedition in his arms was a bigger phenomenon.

Keith quickly went inside and made a beeline for his quarters. Once safely in his room, he shut the door with his foot before resting Lance on his bed. His head was lowered, hair clung to his neck and forehead. Water droplets rolled down his body and onto his bed. Keith sat at the edge and reached over to wipe the water dripping down Lance’s face. The creak of the ship, rocking against the waves was all that was heard.

The merman leaned into it, yet said nothing. He was being awfully quiet, and it didn’t go unnoticed by Keith.

“You okay?” He asked.

Lance nodded gently before he placed his own palm on Keith hand.

“Just tired.” He sighed. 

“Rest then.”

The merman shook his head, “I don’t think I could right now, not after that.”

The creak of the ship, rocking against the waves filled the background. It was a somber feel.

“Here,” Keith reached out for the rope still wrapped around him, “let’s get you out of this and dry you off.”

As Keith unravelled the line, Lance stared at Keith face. The light flicked beautifully against his cheek and jaw. Keith pulled out a towel, and gently draped it on Lance’s shoulder.

“My mother told me stories of men at sea,” Lance spoke while Keith dried him off, “who would kill to steal me away from the ocean and hide me as their treasure.”

Keith bit the inside of his cheek, reminded of the thought that passed his head before they met earlier that day. He could never, would never, do that to the merman, but he couldn’t deny the thought appealed him in different ways. To have Lance welcome him after a long days travel, to have Lance in his bed waiting for him. It was terribly domestic. 

He hung the rope and towel on his headboard.

“I would never steal you from your home,” He promised, “but I can’t deny that I do think you’re worth more than chests of gold.”

The merman hummed with a smile, slipping a hand to slip a finger underneath Keith’s clothes.

“I wouldn’t mind, being your treasure.” Lance leaned back onto his bed and laid down while his fingers brushed his bare skin. “Oceans be damned.”

Too tempted to sit beside without the need to touch the tanned skin before him, Keith shook his head with a smile and stood to undress the wet clothes that clung uncomfortably to his skin. Lance, being Lance, never took his eyes off of the man undressing, the glow of the candles light made Keith’s pale skin almost shimmer yellow. Before Keith undid the string of his pants, he looked over his shoulder shyly.

“Don’t peak,” Keith whispered softly, almost enjoying Lance’s gazed flicker to his thumb hooked on his trousers.

The merman licked his lips and met Keith’s eye before he turned over. The sound of fabric falling to the ground had Lance’s tail wagging.

“Tease,” Lance mumbled.

Keith smiled as he slipped dry clothes on. Once the wet cloths were hung up to dry, Keith grabbed his notebook from his desk. He came to the edge of the bed once again and sat down, this time beside Lance. He pulled out a quill and began writing. Lance turned over, and tucked his arms underneath his head while he looked down where the quill met the paper.

“What are you writing now?” Lance asked.

Keith kept on writing as he spoke, “What happened today. When you saved me." 

“Why?”

Keith paused his work, and looked over at Lance.

“I want people to know,” He couldn’t stop staring into his eyes, “what it was like.”

Lance hummed thoughtfully.

“How incredible you are. How lucky I was to have met you.” Keith continued, “Who you are is important, not just as a Nanti, but as Lance.”

Lance whined, breathlessly, and placed a hand on Keith’s bicep, “What’s with you saying stuff like that?”

Keith placed his quill on his open book and casted it aside, entry unfinished, to reach his hand over to Lance’s cheek. His thumb brushed lightly against his parted lips. With the four walls of his room, they were protected, safe, and alone. Lance kissed Keith’s thumb without breaking his lustful gaze at the Captain.

“Can I kiss you?” Keith asked, heart fluttering.  

“You can do whatever you want to me, pearl.”

A small needy noise came from Keith, he wasn’t even sure what that was, but he couldn’t care as Lance invited his lips onto his with a firm press. And it was as good–no, better than the first. Keith knew this, whatever it was between him and Lance, was moving fast but with press of his soft lips, he couldn’t find the will to stop. He didn’t want to. And neither did Lance, as the merman clung onto Keith’s arms he tipped his head back with a moan. Their lips danced against one another, and a small sensation of Lance’s tongue against his mouth made Keith gasp slightly.  

His tongue slipped in and Lance whimpered from the taste of Keith. It was intoxicating. Like a drug, they couldn’t stop. Addicted to the high of themselves pressed up against one another. Keith leaned forward, making Lance arch his back, before he climbed on top of him. Without breaking their kiss, Keith hovered above the merman and cupped his head with his hands.

Keith couldn’t fathom another reality where he could never experience this, he was almost upset at the prospect of this moment never of happening if he hadn’t chosen the right spot at the beach and the right set of trees. Fate brought him to this being that thrusted him forward into an entirely different life.

He didn’t know if he could survive without this anymore.

It was a **damn** good kiss.

A knock at the door had them stop, lips wet as they parted. Keith rested his forehead on Lance’s shoulder, with an attempt to regain his breath. Lance was no better, chest rising and falling.

“Keith,” Pidge called from the other side of the door.

Keith lifted himself off Lance, enjoying the sight of Lance’s eyes glazed over before he opened the door.

“Yes?” He kept the door ajar.

Pidge was observant, a little too observant. She studied Keith for literally a second before a wicked grin grew on her face. Keith knew better than to hide what she already knew, and sighed as he opened the door to let her in. Thace, who stood just outside the door, didn’t say anything but a small smile was enough to know he had heard enough.

“Oh, wow,” Pidge caught Keith attention back into his quarters, “I have so many questions."

She stood in the middle of the room, eyes pinned to the merman who sent a worried look to Keith.

“Pidge is my right hand,” He told lance as he walked to the bed, “you can trust her. And Pidge, this is Lance.”

“Does he even understand what you’re saying?”

Keith raised a brow, “Why wouldn’t he?”

Pidge deadpanned.

“He’s an amphibious creature, Keith. Doesn’t he also have different vocal cords than we do?”

Lance gave an amused look at their confusion. It didn’t go unnoticed by Keith and cocked his head in question.

“She’s right.” He chuckled. "Well about the different vocal cords."

“You’re supposed to be a goddamn researcher on this expedition and you didn’t even question why your friend over here speaks your language fluently.”

Keith shrugged.

“It hadn’t crossed my mind really,” because he was too distracted by other important matters.

Like kissing Lance.

“Well, it did for me. How does your… range work?” Pidge pulled Keith chair to his desk and sat down. 

She gave Lance her full attention.

Lance thought for a moment, uncertainty written in his eyes. But it quickly vanished as he took a breath. 

“It’s hard to explain,” Lance started slowly, “but essentially, every living creature has energy. My people call that quintessence and we can manipulate that energy through alchemy. I was able to learn how to speak your language by kissing Keith. I essentially learned that part of his essence, or quintessence”

Pidge sent a sly look at Keith, which promptly made him turn away, cheeks red.

“Like information sharing?”

Lance nodded, “I guess it could be simplified like that but I don’t even understand it myself. I was still learning before I left home.”

Keith gave a sad smile and went to sit beside Lance on the bed.

“I’m still more surprised by the fact that you never thought to ask about this,” Pidge laughed, “how did you guys meet?”

“Lance and I met at a lake at the back of the island.” Keith confessed, crossing his arms. “A few days ago.”

He made sure to skip over their initial meet, memories faded in drunk haze.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Pidge held up her hands and shook her head, “you’ve known him since we first arrived here and didn’t tell me?”

It was Lance’s turn to look confused as he stared up at Keith. “You never told her about me?”

Keith shook his head.

“I didn’t tell anyone about you.” He admitted.

“It makes sense now,” Pidge scoffed, “how willingly Lance is with being onboard but it doesn’t explain why you hid this from me.”

Keith rubbed his hands together, nervous. For two reasons. Pidge was furious, he could tell by the way she glared at him. If anyone should have known, it should have been her. But he was selfish, and wanted Lance all to himself. Now that Lance was no longer a myth, people would have questions. They would come to him, bother him, disturb him with his time with Lance. He already knew this possessiveness was dangerous, luring him in with the prospect of comfort and happiness with Lance, but he didn’t care to stop it.

The merman hummed as he saw the internal battle Keith had. 

“I don’t mind,” Lance’s sensual purr pulled Keith out of his head, “if you want to keep me all to yourself.”

“And that’s my cue to leave, "Pidge abruptly stood, chair pushed back, "but you have some explaining to do later, Captain."

“What do you want me to tell the crew.” She added. 

He sighed. 

“We rest in Oriande until we’ve completed our research. Lance is our guest for as long as he likes and we will treat him with respect. If anyone causes him grief they will answer to me.” His voice rose slightly, peeved at the idea that harm could come to Lance. “They know the punishment for treason, but remind them. Tell Thace to rest for the evening as well.”

Pidge slammed the door shut on way out without another word. Keith sighed as his gaze lingered on the wooden door before he rubbed his face with his hands. A light touch to his wrist and Lance tugged him down onto the bed. Once beside him, he dropped his tail on Keith's legs and cozied up to his side. As if it was normal to the merman. But to Keith, it wasn't. It was so much more. And like the greedy man like he was, Keith leaned into the touch, wrapped his arms around Lance and rested his head on the mermans.

“You sound so tough when you’re around other people,” Lance brought his hand up to rub circle on his chest, “they respect you.”

Keith hummed, focused on Lance’s touch.

“If they all knew, their Captain, was a soft, gentle human who blushes at the prospect of courting they would see you differently.”

“No one else will.” Keith slipped his hand into Lance’s and brought his fingers up to his lips to kiss. “I’ve never done this before, remember?”

Lance’s tail wagged slightly.

“So many things I don’t know about you,”

“Would you like to?” Keith asked, voice soft.

Lance nodded, and thus began the rest of their night. With hushed voices, in the flicker of the oil lamps, Keith spoke of his family. Shiro, his brother, who took care of him after his parents passed in war. How his mother, being born Galra, found love with a human man. Lance’s seemed to like that story the most. At first Keith confessed he was ashamed of his heritage, being related to the beings that ruined innocent lives and plagued the ocean with toxins. But with the resistance, he found peace with who he was. It took time, but there was no other place he’d of rather been. His voice was hushed when he mentioned his time as a child solider, how he began his training when he learned how to walk, and completed his first mission when he was six. Keith appreciated that Lance kept quiet as he listened. He wasn't sure if he could dive into his demons tonight, confessing them had him emotional already but the merman didn't need to know that.

Eventually, Lance’s breath evened out, and soon he was unconscious in deep sleep.

Keith kissed the top of his head, nuzzling into the brown locks. He breathed in Lance, the sweet smell of salted honey filled his nose.

He was falling for a boy who lived in the ocean.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided that I'd like Keith and Lance’s relationship to have more substance than a fleeting holiday romance. This means more depth and plot.
> 
> That being said, I will not be updating regularly because I will be writing at my own pace and i’m still in university which is a priority. This way, chapter quality will be balanced with the quantity of content. I enjoy writing long chapters but in order to do them well I need time.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who kudos, commented, and bookmarked this fic. It really made it easy to write this chapter knowing people were interested in reading more of my work.
> 
> Thank you to my beta reader death-of-atropos
> 
> Enjoy !

Keith’s awakening was the best he ever had. Soft touches brushed against his bare chest while delicate kisses pressed along his neck. He hummed as he opened his eyes, brown locks in his line of sight.

“Lance,” Keith mumbled, catching the merman by surprise.

“Good morning, Captain.” Lance pulled back.

“I should to go check on my crew,” Keith smiled, “see what the weather is like, and get us food as well.”

“Going to take care of me, hm?” Lance mirror his smile and pulled away to wrap himself in the bedsheets.

His heart raced at the sight of Lance nuzzling at his pillow. He took mental picture, from the deep blush to the nip of his lips. Lance knew his affect on Keith, it was evident to the merman that Keith couldn’t resist him. It was easy to get under the humans skin when they were so responsive to their advances.

Keith shook his head and got out of bed. He changed into a fresh pair of clothes, feeling Lance’s eyes on him when he stripped down, back turned to him. It was easier than last night, spending the night with one another had eased the anxiousness that bubbled in Keith’s chest, however it didn’t stop Keith’s face from turning crimson.

“I’ll be back,” Keith promised Lance as he opened the door.

“I’ll be waiting, my pearl.”

Keith closed the door behind him and immediately turned to Thace who stood outside his door.

“Make sure no one enters.” He ordered before he carried himself onto the deck.

The first thing Keith saw when he came outside was blue skies, the air clear, cleaned by the heavy rain. The ship barely rocked against the calm waves. The deck life was busy, as expected. Matt stood at the helm, watching over the crew as they performed their duties. All was orderly, which meant that he was not needed. He turned back inside and headed for the kitchen. Hunk stood by an open book, flipping through pages when Keith walked in.

“Hunk,” Keith got his attention, “I need some breakfast for me and Lance.”

“The merpersonman?” Hunk turned to pull a bowl of biscuits and hard boiled eggs.

“Merman,” He corrected.

“Ah, right. Merman. The manmer. The fish boy.”

Hunk passed the bowl to him with a smile. Keith gave him a small thank you before he turned to leave.

“Oh Keith?” Hunk caught Keith before he managed to slip out of the kitchen, “I was thinking of preparing a special meal for tomorrow night.”

“What the occasion?”

“You’ve found a merman, Keith! This is the best moment of your life! We need to celebrate, buddy!” Hunk slapped his hands together, in a pout. “Please?”

Keith would never take Hunk's eagerness to make food for granted, as he was known for exquisite taste.  
  
Keith nodded at the cook. “Sure, I don’t see why not.”

“Great, thanks man. Everyone will enjoy it. Maybe ask some questions, you know? But I’ll need some fish though, I’m thinking of making a stew of some sort. I hear there are some tasty fish here. Do you think we can get our hands on some? ”

Keith pursed his lips at Hunks excitement.

“I’ll make arrangements for your supplies.” He said before left for his quarters.

He heard Hunk thank him as he left, but he was suddenly keen to get back to Lance as he rushed through the hull. He hadn’t noticed Thace, despite the man never leaving his post, and swung open his door, eyes wide as he met eyes with Lance. The merman sat at the edge of the bed, tail draped on the ground. Keith couldn’t help but to beam at the sight, bowl of food clutched to his chest.

“You’re still here.”

“Where else would I be?”

“I don’t know,” Keith blushed, embarrassed at his eagerness, “but the sky is clear and we have the day to ourselves. I need to arrange supplies for Hunk for dinner tomorrow night and I thought we could make a day out of it. Would you like to join me while I fish?”

Keith heart soared when Lance fin wagged as he beamed up at him, .

“Can we please go swimming?” Lance pleaded.

“Yes, yes,” Keith chuckled in agreement, as if he hadn’t suggested it. “Let’s eat first,”

Keith sat down next to Lance and offered him a biscuit. As Lance ate the baked good, Keith cleaned the boiled egg from its shell, and they both ate in comfortable silence. Lance, being Lance, was dramatic, proclaiming the food of humans were the best he’s he’s ever tasted, but was mortified at learning Keith had eaten an unfertilized boiled egg. There were many things they could learn from one another it seemed.

Once finished, bellies full, Keith put aside the bowl of egg shells and walked over to his dresser.

“We should get you dressed.”

“Why do I need clothes when I’m going in the water?”

Keith pulled out a plain white dress shirt and draped it over Lance’s shoulders.

“I don’t want to draw attention to you,” Keith admitted, almost ashamed.

“Why?”

He exhaled nervously, “Just in case someone gets any ideas of stealing you from where you belong.”

“And where is that?” Lance asked, amused, while Keith covered his tail with a thin bed cover and threw a light bag over his shoulder.

Keith licked his lips, careful with his next words.

“The ocean.”

Lance threw his head back and laughed.

“I think I belong right where I want to be,” Lance wrapped his arms around Keith's neck

Keith bit the inside of his cheek to hold down a smile, he didn’t want to assume Lance meant here now, with him, but this words and actions nevertheless reassured the looming fear that this was just his imagination. But every moment that went by was a never ending fall, constantly ripping Keith from thoughts of uncertainty. At first he had been anxious, unsure, because of how fast everything was happening, but now his heart pounded, with warmth blossoming in his chest, as he doted on Lance.

While still hesitant Keith had welcomed the ardor from Lance with a newfound appreciation. No anxiety to chain him in fear.

Keith lifted Lance up in his arms and left his quarters. Once on deck, the crew couldn’t help but tear their eyes from their work to stare at Lance, as they had last night. Keith ignored them and carried Lance to a rowboat. He was gently placed in the boat, and once Keith got in, two crew mates began to lower them into the water. As Keith rowed them out of the harbour and around the island, Lance lowered himself, out of sight. He rested his head on Keith’s legs, eyes closed as Keith rowed them along. Keith had trouble directing the boat at times, too distracted by the sight of the merman in his lap.

When they reached the familiar place, instead of soft sand they rested their boat in the calm waters. Keith dropped a small anchor before he took out a bag and pulled out a thin net from it. Lance tensed up at it, which didn’t go unnoticed by Keith.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’ve been told these were made to catch us.”

“This one is only made for keeping caught fish.” Keith frowned. “My rope caught you well though.”

It took a full three seconds of Lance staring at him, eyes wide in surprise with a slight blush on his cheeks, before Keith registered his words.

“Wait, no. I didn’t mean it like that., I didn’t- that wasn’t- uh, wasn’t a good way to say, that you’re, um, that you- shit-”

Lance crawled over to the edge of the boat, it rocked as he stretched and grabbed Keith’s shirt.

He pulled Keith into a deep kiss, and before Keith could register what was happening, Lance shuffled out of the fabric that covered him and slipped into the water.

Keith brushed his lips with his fingertips as he watched Lance disappear into the sea. He shook his head and somehow managed to tear his attention back to the net, to hook it to the end of the boat to rest in the water before he undressed himself. He was left in loose pants held by a thin string.

“Are you coming?” Lance called.

Keith took a swig of water from his canteen before he entered the sea. He submerged himself in the warm waters. He dove in and Lance met him where he swam. They moved together, Lance went at Keith's pace as they further out, to the reef of the island. Brilliant colours of coral refracted against the surface, colouring Keith’s pale skin.

They should have began their hunt for fish but with no one around, they had no obligations. It hadn’t needed to be spoken about, both men silently took advantage of this moment and left the fish for later.

It was a different world than the seas had ever given Keith. Lance had learned of a foreign land but Keith was in his domain now. The Captain loved the water, it’s why he had his own ship and sailed the seas, it’s why he was so fascinated with Nanti when they had only existed in books and legends. But Lance was the Captain here–free to maneuver as he wished. He had control, and Keith could only watch in awe as the merman swam circles around him. He pulled Keith through the reef by the waist. Fish and other sea creatures, that lived in the the shimmering light reflected off the white sand, swam away at them cutting through the water. It was a haven, free of worlds colliding in wars.

It was silent but Keith swore he heard music.

They slowed down at a parting in the coral. Keith sunk under water to reach for a shell but the depth was too great and his breath was too little for the reach. His lungs ached for air halfway to the shell and before he could turn to swim for the surface, Lance caught him. Soft wet lips pressed to his, parted, as Lance breath life into him. It was different than he had done before, on their first night. This wasn’t of near death, with a drunken haze, but of passion to give life that made Lance fill Keith with air.

He floated, kept still by Lances hands as the merman hovered above him. The merman's tail wrapped once around his legs, securing him to the other. Time passed by without care as Keith’s life was cared for with Lance’s lips. A kiss, and then a breath. More kisses, and and even more air.

Keith could stay like this, forever.

It wasn’t until midday, when the sun was strongest, did Keith need to rest on shore. His skin stinging from the salt of the sea and burn from the sun's rays. While he stayed underneath the shadows casted by the tall trees, chest rising and falling as he caught his breath, Lance hunted for their supplies.

If there wasn’t a war, with no obligations to protect the innocent lives being taken from the Galra, would Keith would settle down? If he wasn’t free to sail the seas for a years time, with unlimited freedom, would he find a home back in Mormora? With Lance’s head breaking the surface, a wide smile on his face as he held two large fish by the gills, Keith shook his head at no one. Maybe he shook the thought of a reality where him and Lance hadn’t met, where he was someone else without wanderlust. He didn’t want to think of the what if’s, only of the gift he had been given before him.

When the net was full, Keith returned to their rowboat. Lance pushed him along the water, chirping cheerfully, towards the ship. He pulled Lance onto the boat once they arrived, and called for his crew to raised them up once he had the merman secured in his arms. The sun disappeared under the horizon, the sky orange, as he readied himself to board the ship. However, he was startled when he turned to Pidge with a brow raised and arms crossed.

“Pidge,” Keith greeted, awkwardly.

She held his stare before she peaked around him at his net full of fish. She sighed and unravelled her arms.

Pidge took the net and left for the kitchen, “I’ll pass this to Hunk.”

She was still upset, he could tell. He grimaced as he entered the ship.

“Is she mad at you?” Lance asked when they were alone in his room.

Keith sighed as he lowered Lance on his bed.

“Yeah.” He took out a fresh towel, dipped it in a bucket of fresh water and began wiping the salt off his skin.

“Because you didn't tell her about me?" 

“Yeah... We’ve known each other for years and I’ve spent nights discussing theories about Nanti’s existence.” Keith took a moment to think as he fiddled with the towel, “She’s the only one that would take it seriously, it’s why she came with me on my expedition. And I failed her as a friend.”

Lance gave him a soft grin and gently took the towel from his hands to pull him onto him. The merman laid back, letting Keith rest on him while he pet the Captains hair.

“I’m sure if you explain to her why, she’ll understand.”

Keith hummed, eyes closed as his head rested on Lance’s chest. He could hear his heartbeat as it thumped steadily. Keith’s closed his eyes at the sensation of Lance’s fingers as they massaged his scalp.

“Tell her,” Lance whispered, “your truth is as valid as any other, even if it hurts the ones we love sometimes.”

The tension in Keith’s shoulder disappeared with the reassurance. He opened his eyes to met Lance’s. Keith could only sigh happily, words wouldn’t have been able to properly convey how blissful it was to be in Lance’s arms for the second time that day. They stayed there, together, cuddling one another until Keith’s stomach gave an uncomfortable growl.

“You should eat,” Lance broke the silence.

Keith rubbed his face into Lace’s chest before he reluctantly stood up. He looked down at the merman, who returned the gaze with a tender smile. He took the merman’s hand and laced their fingers together.

“Do you want to see the ship?”

Lance nodded, and thus Keith began the tour with him in his arms. Keith introduced Lance formally to the crew, some had some questions and watched to chat but their Captain made it clear they were a bit busy to socialize as he slowly made his way out the door. At their last stop, the kitchen, they entered as Hunk slammed a butchers knife down on the head of a fish.

Lance flinched in his arms.

“Oh hey Keith, did you- AH!” Hunk dropped the knife and wiped his hands on his apron as he moved around the counter. “The merman!”

“Lance this is Hunk, the ship's cook.”

Hunk reached out his hand for a hand shake but Lance just stared down at it. He looked at Keith, brows furrowed.

“It’s a handshake,” Keith explained in a small whisper, only meant for Lance, “it’s meant as a greeting between two people.”

Keith chuckled when Lance took Hunk’s hand and shook it like a maraca.

“It’s nice to meet you, Hunk.”

“Wow, this is amazing! The crew was so excited when you were brought on board. But they were really worried when you, Keith, didn’t come for the briefing though, thought you were sick, you know. But everything turned out okay and now I have a merman here, in my kitchen!” Hunk clapped his hands together, eyes teary, as he rambled on. “What can I get for you? Are you guys hungry?”

“Could you butter some bread for me?”

“Right away,” He went to work.

Lance watched, amused, at Hunk’s antics. Keith had known Hunk for about the same time as Pidge, and could see the similarities with the merman and him. He silently hoped they would get along.

Once Hunk had their food ready, wrapped nicely in fabric, they bid him goodbye. If Hunk noticed something off about Keith, like his growing adoration and softness for the boy in his arms, he didn’t make it known. Instead of walking to his room, Keith made his way to the deck. Once outside, dusk painted the skies, stars twinkled in the coming night. Lance eyes went wide at the sight, he gripped the wrapped food to his chest and stared in awe.

“What are those?”

Keith eyes flickered along Lance’s wonderstruck face. His eye wide, full of astonishment. Lips parted slightly, shocked at this new revelation.

“They’re called stars, balls of gas burning thousands of years away. Just like our sun. And that glowing rock in the sky is the moon.”

“Wow,” Lance breathed, as he pressed himself to Keith, “this is beautiful. There must be other planets like our then, out there. Right?”

“I would hope so,” Keith glanced to the sky once he was abaft.

Lance looked ahead at the ship, some crew were still on deck, setting up for the night. His tail lightly tapped against the wheel.

“What’s this?”

Keith brought him over so he could touch it with his hands.

“It’s the wheel of the ship,” He explained, “it controls the direction.”

Lanced hummed thoughtfully. Keith watched him fiddle with the handles, turning it lightly. He enjoyed the wonder in Lance’s eyes, and didn’t want to end it anytime soon.

He licked his lips and took a breath before he asked, “Would you like to eat and watch the stars with me?”

“I’d like that,”

When Keith lowered Lance down, he noticed the merman shiver, goosebumps on his arms.

“You’re cold. I’ll go grab some blankets.” Keith said before he took off to his quarters.

He gathered up some extra blankets he had stored in his room and rushed back out, eager to get back to Lance. But of course, Thace had to be coming out of his room and notice Keith.

“Keith, can I speak to you for a moment?”

Keith nodded without hesitation. If Thace needed his time, it must have been important.

“I’ve received word from Shiro, he’s glad you’re alright. All is well at the capital, however, there have been rumours our intel gathered that Lotor is sending his spies out. Arus sent Shiro word of unusual activity just off the coast. They requested us to return to duty and make rounds there."

“Lotor finally revealed himself, hm? We’ll need to discuss this with Pidge and Matt in the morning.”

Thace nodded, “I’ll see to it that they’re in the ready room first thing tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” Keith slowly walked towards the deck, “is that all?”

Thace glanced down at the piles of blankets in his arms and shook his head with a smile.

“Yes, have a good night.”

Once Thace closed his door, Keith went straight to Lance. The merman perked up at the blankets and happily wrapped himself up in the warmth. They leaned back against the rails of the ship, rested against one another as the night sky twinkled before their eyes.

“I’ve never seen stars like this,” Lance was the first the break the silence, “I’m always under the water at night, the surface never was clear enough to see through.”

“What’s it like, under the water?”

Lance thought for a moment, eyes at the sky.

“It’s peaceful. Well, not always but everything works in balance. You feel the current of the water, it can carry you across the ocean if you want it to.”

“Do you miss it?” Keith asked, brushing Lance’s brown locks from his face to tuck behind his ear. “Your home?”

Lance pursed his lips, before he nodded. Keith came under the blanket, snuggling up to Lance.

“There was a lot I was unhappy about that staying couldn’t fix. I miss my family the most, if they had found me before I left I don’t think I would have been able to leave. Especially if it was mother, she was incredibly protective of me. But I don’t regret it, leaving.” Lance leaned his head on Keith’s shoulder. “If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have known the truth about humans. How not all of them are terrible. How they can be kind and gentle.”

Keith pulled back to looks at Lance, blue eyes twinkling in the moonlight. His plush lips invited him closer, but he did not close the gap. He just danced his gaze along the beautiful man in his arms. Lance fluttered his eyes lightly, enjoying the attention, and brushed his hands up Keith’s chest to wrap his arms around his neck.

“How they can be beautiful.” Lance whispered, voice husked.

Keith gave in and closed the gap. He pressed his lips desperately against Lance’s, and drank the small moan the merman was unable to stifle. It was different than their kiss under the water. He was captured by Lance then, but here on the ship with the light breeze and chill of the night, Lance could only succumb to the heat of Keith.

Small nips to Keith lips had the man slip his tongue into the sweet mouth.

“You taste sweet,” Keith murmured against his lips.

Lance let out a pleased sigh, unravelling his arms to push lightly on Keith’s chest to make him lay down. Lance’s lips followed his and once Keith’s back was on the floor, head rested on clumped blankets, the merman laid down on top of him.

Keith shuddered at the press of Lance’s hips on his, his cock wedged in between them. Lance took notice, and smiled into the kiss as he ground down lightly. Keith hands were instantly on Lance, pushing him off of him, before the needy noise escaped his throat.

“Lance,” Keith spoke his name, caught between a question and a chide.

“Sorry, we can stop if you want to,” He reassured, breath short.

“Someone might come.” Keith gnawed his lips nervously.

Lance gazed down at him with hooded eyes and slipped fingers underneath his shirt.

“If we were in your room it would be just us.”

He never moved so quick in his life. Lance tried to stifle his laugh but couldn’t help but enjoy the enthusiasm. Things have changed it would seem, the captain he had first met was a boy to the eager man who lifted him up in his arms to bring him to his room.To be Alone, safe, and together.

The merman kissed along Keith’s neck up to his jawline, which only shot him down faster through the ship. Once the four walls of his quarter surrounded them, closed off from the rest of the world, Keith’s knee dipped onto the bed and kissed Lance to lay down. It was impatient, hungry as he drank Lance in. Keith crawled on top of him, knees at his sides, as he tugged Lance’s hands to his chest. He needed Lance to touch him, the way he always does. The sensation, the intimacy, was truly addicting.

Lance let out a trill as Keith kisses left his mouth, to trail down his jaw and neck. Keith wasn’t sure if what he was doing was right, but Lance hadn’t stopped him yet and it felt too good to worry right now. The softness of Lance pressed up against his lips, the smell of his sweet aroma when he inhaled, the taste of his skin when he began slowly nipping at the merman's collar bone, all drove Keith to follow Lance’s example outside and press his pelvis to the other.

“Is this okay?” Keith breathed.

His body shook with a newfound sexual appetite, starved by lack of friction but he did not move. He studied Lance’s face, searching for a reason to stop. Worried he might have taken it too far with his recently discovered desires. Frightened that he was doing this wrong. Terrified that he’d drive Lance away in disgust.

But all he found was yearning, Lance’s lips parted and wet, cheeks coloured in a delightful pink blush, and eyes swimming in a liquid blue.

“Please,” Lance managed to whine out.

Keith experimentally rolled his hips forward and gritted his teeth at the pleasure that jolted through his lower abdomen. It was building already. It had been so long since he had done this for himself, where he had only this thoughts of an generic beauty with him. No, this time he was with Lance. A gorgeous tanned merman who was moaning at the sensation rubbing up against him. It was almost unfair, how he had to wait his whole life for this moment. He would kill if he had known he could have this, with Lance, sooner. But this was pointless greed that filled his chest, the possessiveness that poisoned his thoughts.

Keith brought himself back to Lance’s lips, not satisfied with the now reddened skin on his collar. Keith wanted more, needed more. He had to feel it all.

And he did when the slip of something that joined between them.

He broke their kiss, breathless, and looked down between them. His breath hitched when he saw Lance unsheathed, cock leaking. But what really caught him off guard, which made him rest his head on Lance’s shoulder, was the wetness on his trousers where he was tucked in his trousers. It was Lance’s slick and he could feel it on him.

Keith bit his lip and reached down to grab Lance’s hip. The merman below him arched his back to ground up against him. He moaned at the touch, Lance was drenched and didn’t hesitate to hump himself against Keith. Small trills escaped Lance’s throat as his unsheathed cock rubbed up against Keith’s stomach as they rocked against each other.

This was a lot. Almost too much. But he couldn’t stop. He wouldn't stop. He needed this.

“Keith,” Lance whimpered, “so good, you’re so good.”

Keith’s eyes rolled back at Lance’s praise and with another quick few thrusts, he painted the inside of his pants. Lance followed suit and coated his stomach with his own. Faint warble left the merman’s lips as he twitched himself empty.

The merman nuzzled his face into the crook of Keith’s neck, breath ghosted Keith’s lightly damp skin. Keith, however, was still riding his high, overwhelmed. He lowered his body onto Lance, his arms wrapped around the merman's waist. His breath came out weak, ridged, as he nosed Lance’s neck, returning the affection. Lance couldn’t help but chuckled as the man cling onto him.

“Are you okay?” Lance whispered, pressing a kiss to his head.

Keith nodded, “I just need a second,”

He was embarrassed, and slightly modified at the thoughts that flew through his ahead throughout the entirety of their… canoodling. Keith wasn’t sure what to call it, but it was hard to ignore the growing guilt in his chest. He wasn’t sure if it was this healthy.

Lance waited until Keith finally calmed down, he would never truly, but the tension disappeared from his shoulders. His gripped was less desperate, less starved for touch. Lance found it endearing despite the anxiety that coursed through Keith. He slid off of Lance and fell to his side on the bed. Lance brushed black locks out of his face.

If Keith could purr, he probably would. Instead, he leaned into the touch and sighed happily.

“Precious pearl,” Lance cooed.

Keith shook his head in disbelief, “how are you functioning?”

Lance threw his head back with a laugh.

“Was that too much for you?”

“Yes.” Keith quick and short reply had Lance head pulled away, slightly taken aback.

Before Lance could fall further into whatever thoughts that plagued him, Keith put a finger overtop his lips.

“No one has ever, uh, done that… with me.” Keith reassured, cheeks flushed. “Was that okay? For you?

Lance’s face softened, and nodded. As Lance resumed brushing his hair, Keith reached back to pull the towel he had hung on his bed frame last night and wiped down the mess they had made. He wrapped the towel in a ball and threw it across the room into his hamper. Lance hummed appreciatively at the gesture before he wrapped his arms around Keith.

And they stayed like this, in each others arms. The moon high, skies clear, deep into the night as sleep found them. They rested, with not a worry in the world. Keith, not as a Captain, but as a mere man who found serenity in the impossible.

 

* * *

 

When morning came, Keith was pleasantly woken up by soft kisses. However, unlike yesterday, they weren’t from Lance. No, it was Keith himself, kissing along Lance’s bare skin in his awakening. The merman had woken up earlier that morning to the small pecks of affection and nearly burst from the unconscious endearing touches. Keith eyes snapped opened, and quickly pulled himself away from Lance’s chest.

“I’m sorry,” He started, wide eyed in panic, “I didn’t mean to.”

Lance all but smiled, slightly amused at the alarmed man before him and reached over to brush a thumb along Keith’s cheek.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. It was welcomed, as was last night.”

“Oh,” Keith was crimson down to his neck.

He would need to remember that Lance, dissimilar to himself, enjoyed, if not thrived, under physical touch. And while it’s taken Keith a little bit longer to adjust to the new sensation of a being always being close by when in need of affection or solace, he wasn’t finding it difficult to learn. At least, not with Lance.

“I need to get up,” Keith sighed while he rubbed his face in his pillow.

“No,” Lance whined, “stay in bed with me all day.”

Keith chuckled at Lance’s protest.

“I have to unfortunately. I have a meeting and I need to speak with Pidge, figured I’d visit the market with her.” He sat up and pulled himself out of bed.

“Well alright then,” Lance sighed. “I guess I can let you go.”

Keith got into his jacket, a long coat with gold embroidery along the seams. Once he was done putting on his boots, he stood by the bed. Lance never took his eyes off of him, per usual. Keith could get used to this. He was getting used to this.

“Would you like me to leave?” Lance asked as he wrapped the covers around his tail.

Keith shook his head and sat at the edge of the bed.

“You can go anywhere you’d like, but I’d prefer if you weren’t trapped in my room all day. You’re more than welcome to join me in the meeting, although it won’t be as interesting as it sounds.”

“I don’t mind. But swimming does sound nice.”

Keith gave a warm smile.

“A fish out of water for too long wouldn’t be a good thing. You’d dry up.”

“I’m not a fish!” Lance puffed his cheeks out with a pout on his lips.

He wasn’t truly upset, Keith could tell by the slight upward turn of Lance’s lips.

“Beside,” Lance continued, “I’ve never been out of water for so long before so I wouldn’t know.”

Lance brushed his tail lightly with his hand and inspected his palm. A shimmer of oil, so thin that if it had not been for the angle of the light, they might of missed it. Keith perked up at the discovery.

“I’ll need to write this down,” Keith reached for his quill and notebook.

Lance watched Keith with amusement at his passionate writing. Keith had his brows furrowed as he wrote, tongue slightly stuck out in concentration. To Lance, it was the cutest phenomenon he had experienced. His only interaction with a human began from an excitable man who was completely captivated by him. It wasn’t surprising that Lance had taken a liking to him as quick has he had.

When he was finished, Keith slipped his notebook into the inside pocket of his jacket, alongside his wallet and a piece of fabric wrapped around something, before he slipped his arms underneath Lance to lift him up.

The ready room was one of the bigger rooms on the ship. When Keith entered the wide space, a round table at the centre with six chairs around, Pidge and her brother were already there. The table had a map of the known seas atop of it, marked accordingly with recent military positions. Thace waited beside the front door and closed it once Keith entered.

Everyone waited as Keith stood at the head of the table and placed Lance on the chair beside him.

“Lotor is on the move.” He began. “Thace received word from Shiro, apparently Arus has unusual activity and asked us to check it out.”

There was a beat of silence, everyone, including Lance, had to process what Keith had said. Thace stood back, against the wall with crossed arms as he observed the four individuals.

“Arus is at least a few weeks journey away.” Pidge spoke first.

“Less if the winds are in our favour,”

“What about your expedition?” Pidge flickered her look to Lance before they fell to the table. “You’ve been waiting your whole life to do this and-”

“We’ve known for a while now that he’s been up to something.” Keith cut her off and crossed his arms. “After Zarkon fell, he’s been too quiet.”

“This may be our only opportunity to stop him.” Matt agreed. “If we take him out the Galran Empire would have no one to turn to. They’d collapse.”

“Sendak would just take over.” Pidge argued. “It would just be driving us in circles. More people will challenge to lead the Galra.”

“Kolovan would gladly fight for it,” Keith sighed, “It’s already been a topic of discussion with the high council in Marmora. The coalition has been successful thus far and I won’t break faith because I want to go off and play explorer.”

Pidge was unhappy, frown very present on her face, but she knew this had to be done. There was no reason to stay other than egocentric stupidity, and Keith wouldn’t risk what Mamora has fought for so long to create.

“Hunk is preparing a meal for us tonight in celebration of everything we’ve done thus far so we’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning. Tell the crew to enjoy the day and meet back here for dinner if they wish.”

“You should let them know that we’re leaving tomorrow.” Pidge shook her head. “They’d want to hear it from you.”

Keith nodded before he dismissed them and they all filed out of the room. Keith watched as every left, until it was only him and Lance. The merman had been awfully silent throughout the entirety of the discussion and now he sat there, just as so.

“Lance?”

The merman turned to face him, his eyes carried sadness in them. Keith wasn’t sure how he could tell, but the lively man he can come to know wasn’t present.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Lance brushed it off, but Keith gave him a look that caused the merman to sigh. “It’s not a big deal, I’m just being weird.”

“You’re not. Tell me.”

Lance lips turn down in a frown, uncertainty on his face.

He took a breath, “you’re leaving soon?”

Keith nodded.

“With or without me?”

Keith, so used to the mermans presence, hadn’t even considered what would happen with them once he left Orinade. He couldn’t stay, and a selfish part of him had already made the decision to ask him to stay, but shame held him back from giving a response. Anything he would decide would be unsatisfactory. To take Lance away from his home or to leave him here and potentially never see him again. There were only those two options, and both stung for different reasons.

“Will you take me with you?” Lance pressed.

“I shouldn’t be the one to decide that,” His heart ached at Lance’s growing discouraged form, lips turned down, “it wouldn’t feel right to. I would want you to choose.”

“But what do you want?”

Keith scooped up Lance in his arms and carried him to the deck. Keith wouldn’t, couldn’t, answer the question. But Lance hadn’t looked elsewhere, eyes on Keith, as they descended down onto the water in the rowboat. With the tension high between them, Keith hadn’t noticed Pidge who had slipped on the boat with them. She kept to herself as she observed her captain fight an internal battle, the furrow of his forehead and the clench of his jaw. Keith was far too righteous and it’s what brought him to be unable to care for anyone else but Lance in this moment.

‘ _It doesn’t matter_ ’ He wanted to say but instead said nothing at all.

He freed Lance of the bed sheet, a sudden nervousness washed over him at Lance’s downcast gaze at the sea. He wanted Lance’s eyes back on him more than he ever had before, but knew he deserved this. The possessive thoughts, the longing, he had for the merman before him… it was punishment for feeling such things. Their meeting was supposed to be short, separated by the end of his expedition. A fleeting experience. It should have been easy but he hadn’t thought he’d grow attached this quick.

Lance slipped into the water without a word and let go of the wood of the boat to slowly drift with the small waves.

“Lance!” Keith yelled before the merman disappeared under the water.

He hadn’t meant to make Lance upset, but he was upset and he didn’t know what could make him feel better.

“See you at sundown?” Keith asked.

Lance nodded, face unreadable, and disappeared into the water. Keith clenched his hands into fists as Pidge began rowing them to the port, the bubbling anxiety hadn’t allowed him to look anywhere else other than where Lance sunk under the water. The further they got, the harder it was for him to keep his sights on the spot. It wasn’t until they were ported, Pidge already tied them to the docks, did he finally acknowledge Pidge.

“You’re rowing us back,” She said out of breath.

Keith couldn’t deny her, even if he had gotten them there, there was stuff unfinished business he had to sort out between them. With the way things went in their meeting earlier, it seemed there was more than one thing she could be upset about.

Once he pulled himself out of the rowboat, with one more glance to the sea, they made their way through the busy streets. It was difficult for Keith to open a conversation, his voice was caught in his uncertainty of where to begin. But he had to start somewhere.

“You can’t stay mad at me forever,” Not the best way to initiate it but his mouth moved faster than he could think sometimes.

“I can,” she turned to him, “and I will.

They entered a spice shop and Pidge pulled out a piece of paper with a list of ingredients.

“I just don’t understand why you did it.” She added, blunt and straight to the point.

Pidge had no desire to beat around the bush.

He wasn’t sure if he could confess the reason to someone other than himself. It was easier when it was unspoken, when the truth wasn’t out in the world for him to justify. The reality of him having to candor made this excruciatingly harder.

“Just being selfish, I suppose.” He confessed reluctantly.

"Yes, it was." Pidge studied him for a moment before she sighed, “You’re acting weird, Keith. Why would you hide this from me when I’m here to help you? Do you not trust me?”

“Of course I do.”

Keith chest constricted, and suddenly it was difficult to breath, but he made no indication he was on the verge of panic. He deserved this, didn’t he?

He took a few quiet deep breaths as he watched her as she shuffled through different herbs.

He thought carefully of his next words.

“I don’t really understand it myself, Pidge. All I know was that if anyone else had met him, I wouldn’t have been able to spend time as much time alone with him as I had. I was bothered by that.” He admitted. “I’m terrible for wanting to keep him for myself.” He finished his rant in a deep exhale. 

“That doesn’t make you terrible. It just sounds like you’re overly proprietorial of him, which is unlike you. You don’t get attached to anything or anyone like this.”

And there it was, the ugly truth of the matter. Years of depriving a young Galra from affection had made him too eager, too greedy. But this was one thing Pidge didn't know about him. They might of been close friends but she was no warrior of Mamor. She studied to sciences and kept herself in labs all day. She was also human, which was a rarity in the line of battle. Shiro was a special case, and his half human genes were of no relevance in his upbringing. He could only hum in agreement as they waited to pay for their items.

“So what makes him different?”

That was a loaded question. Keith could go on and on about what was special about Lance. Just the fact Lance could communicate what he thought and felt made being with him all the more exhilarating. Lance was an experience he couldn’t have ever imagined. 

“It’s just,” he began, "it doesn’t feel hard to be around him. I don't feel like i'm fighting. But- I don’t know. Maybe to you it’s not terrible but he might think it is.”

They made their purchase and walked out of the shop. He averted his gaze to the ground, frown forming on his lips.

“Listen Keith,” Pidge snapped his fingers in front of Keith’s face to grab his attention. “It’s always been you alone, but now you’re not alone anymore and you’re giving yourself a hard time because of it.”

“It’s just not reasonable to feel this way,”

“And now you’re giving me a hard time.” She deadpanned.

Keith exhaled in frustration. “I appreciate your support Pidge but Lance picked the wrong person to court. I’m selfish. ”

“Court as in date?”

“He says he’s courting me so I don’t know what that-”

“You’re dating,” Pidge answered bluntly.

Keith shrugged. “I don’t know if we are, he was upset when we left today. We had a disagreement about something.”

“What did you do?”

“Who says it was me?” Pidge gave him a pointed look that made him roll his eyes. “ Pidge, he asked me if I wanted him to stay with me on the ship and I couldn’t answer that. He’s told me that his mother told him stories about humans stealing them away, and I can’t bring myself down to that level just because I want him to stay.”

“You’re in deep, eh?”

Keith didn’t answer, too absorbed in his own thoughts, which coaxed Pidge to continue. “You need to stop thinking that Lance is a damsel in distress. He’s allowed to want to be taken away, and it doesn’t make you a bad person for wanting it to. It’s consensual, so stop focusing on the details of a story he once told you and just follow your gut. You’re going to miss out on a great opportunity. This is the time to be selfish, Keith.”

“What if he regrets it?”

“Then that’s something we’ll deal with in the future but until then, he wants you. Don’t push him away because you’re insecure. It’s only been a week and you’re happy with him Keith. Don’t lose him because of things that may not matter. You can’t always make decisions based on probabilities, sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith and follow your heart. ”

Keith pursed his lips.

“It will be less stress for the both of you if you’re honest and open with each other.” She added.

It wasn’t that Keith disagreed with her, however it was difficult to put himself in that position, to be vulnerable, and admit something he was incredibly ashamed of. He didn’t know how Lance would take it, but it didn't matter because to him, he was shamefaced by the potential prospect of the continuous possessiveness.

But, maybe it was time to admit this to Lance. Maybe he would understand.

Hopefully.

“When did you get so wise?”

“I learn from mistakes, it’s easy when you make so many.” She teased with a smirk.

“Does this mean you forgive me?”

“Maybe,” she looked around the marketplace, “there are some nice weapons being sold at that shop. I would forgive you faster if-”

Keith poured out some gold coins from his wallet and handed it off to Pidge without hesitation. She accepted it, a small smile at the willingness to appease her. She was spoiled, he knew it, but it did not matter. Keith could lose some money if it meant Pidge would be happy.

He nodded toward shop she had been eyeing, “I’ll wait here.”

She gave him a quick hug that took him by surprise before she rushed to the weapons. He smiled at her eagerness and watched her disappear behind tall stands before he scanned the area. People rushed by in a hurry or took their time in a leisure walk through the lively streets. He stood off to the side, against a brick wall. If it wasn’t for the shack that caught his eyes, he would have stayed put, however, the sight of jewelry lured him in.

Colour gems and crystals all sparkled, captivating him. He was no different than an animal who was hypnotized by shiny objects, but a silver droplet shaped pendant with a glowing stone caught his eye. It was threaded through a silver chain, hung from a clasp, ready to be placed around someone's neck. A particular someone Keith very much wanted him to have.

“Have your eye on something, boy?” A frail looking lady was at his side.

Her sudden appearance took Keith by surprise. He hadn’t noticed her, too transfixed on the necklace before him. She had white hair braided back, tan skin, and wore a brown poncho that dragged behind her on the ground.

“Yeah,” he picked up the necklace and the empty pendant, “how much for this?”

“What do you have to offer?”

It was a strange question, bargaining wasn’t unusual but it had never been part of the initial price of anything Keith had bought. There was always a first for everything, so Keith took another glance at the jewelry in his hands before he fished out his wallet.

“How does three gold coins sound?”

She accepted the payment, and placed the purchase in a small leather bag. As Keith slid it in the pocket of his jacket, he looked at the table in front of him. This time, it wasn’t beauty that caught his attention, but a necklace with a plain silver pendant frame with nothing inside it. It was oddly shaped, flat like a coin. He flipped it over and, without a thought to his surroundings, fished for the fabric he had stuffed in his pocket earlier that day. He unraveled the fabric to reveal Lance’s scale and slid it into the frame. It was a perfect fit.

“How much for this?” Keith asked the woman

She stared at the scale with a glint in her eye that Keith didn’t like. He was so absorbed in his discovery of a perfect container for Lance’s scale that he forgot that no one other than himself and his crew knew of the existence of merpeople.

“Is that a scale of a Nanti?”

He cleared his throat, “no, it’s just a shell I found on the beach.”

“That’s an unusual looking shell.”

“It’s why I kept it.” He tucked the scale back into the fabric, face stone cold in hopes that she would lose interest.

But but the damage had been done.

The woman eyed him with interest. 

“You may take the necklace and the pendant for free if you give me that scale.” She fished out his three coins and offered it back.

“It’s not a scale,” he repeated, “and it’s not for sale.”

“What if I gave you another necklace for free?” She attempted to persuade him.

Keith tried not to let her persistence get to him but a sudden heated enveloped him. She would never understand that the price of jewelry would never outweigh the gift he had been given.

“I said it’s **not** for sale, lady.” He snapped, vexed. “Will you sell me this or not?”

She eyed him warily.

“Forgive me,” she dipped her head in a bow, “I never lost my stubbornness as I grew old. Please take the frame and this as an apology. Free of charge.”

She shuffled behind the stand and pulled out a blue book. It was embroidered with gold, small gems encased around the swirls and designs.

“That’s not necessary, I can pay.”

“Please, I insist.” She pushed the book to him.

Keith sighed, “Alright then. Thank you.”

He took the the goods from her, thanking her once more as he departed from her stand to wait for Pidge at their rendezvous point. He tucked the other necklace in his jacket as he flipped over the book. It was sturdy, the silver encased the book almost as if it was protective armour. He pulled back the hardcover of the book to the first page.

It was empty, a blank page with nothing more than the texture of the paper. Keith flipped to the second page, blank. And then the next, but it was all the same. The book he had been gifted was free of ink. He was transfixed on the book in his hands that he hadn’t noticed Pidge as she exited the weapons shop.

“What’s that?” She asked when he hadn’t greeted her.

“I’m not sure.” He showed her the empty pages. “That lady at the stand gave this to me.”

“What stand?”

Keith pointed in front of him toward the old woman and her collection of Jewelry, but the place where she once stood was an empty as the book he held. The imprints of her cart were still present, holes dug into the Earth. However, the lady and her stand were in sight, as if she had vanished in thin air. Keith made his way to the place where he had been.

“There was a stand, right here.” He waved at the ground.

Pidge raised a brow.

“I’m serious,” He pulled out the two bags with the necklaces. “I bought these from her.”

“Whatever, let’s go. They didn’t have what I wanted.” Pidge walked off.

He peered over his shoulder as they left the area, brows furrowed in confusion at sight of no one. If it wasn’t for the the weight of the jewelry in his pocket and the book in his hands, he might believed he hallucinated the entire experience. He was too distracted by the promise of Lance to decipher the phenomenon.

* * *

  
It was hours later, when Pidge had complained about their sore legs, did they make their way back to the ship. The sun had began to set, the last warmth of the day carried in the breeze as they pushed themselves away from the docks. It took much longer than Keith would have liked to row through the water. It would have been faster if Pidge helped but he couldn’t just blame the woman who rested with their legs perched up on the edge of their boat. The anticipation made their short journey feel like he was crossing the sea, it took too long.

Each stroke brought him closer, but he still felt so far away. He was eager to get there, but he wouldn’t complain. He wanted more time, with Lance in his bed. Where the only worry was the emptiness in their stomachs. Where the world outside of the four walls of his room didn’t matter. Where they would simply exist, together in seclusion.

He felt himself pulled between fear and excitement the closer he got, and could only submit to the mixture that brewed in his chest.

When he finally reached the ship, Pidge called down for a ladder. She said nothing as he climbed herself up the side of the ship, leaving Keith to watch her disappear over the top of the boat, with their goods.

Then it was just him, until it wasn’t.

Keith was greeted with a small wave and a smile that was strained, Lance forced a facade that he saw all too easily through. Lance thought he hid it well, however the man who Keith lifted up in his arms was miles away from the one he came to be familiar with. There’s was distance between them, vast like the ocean, despite Lance being held in his arms. Lance was somewhere else. Somebody else. Silent with his head bowed while he fought off a frown. Keith had experienced him uncertain, worried, and afraid, however this was a side of the merman that his heart painfully ached from. And it was all his fault.

Maybe Lance wouldn’t listen. Maybe it was too late to make it right.

If Pidge had glimpsed for a moment at the spiralling self-deprecating thoughts that flooded his head she would have slapped him but she had gone abroad, leaving Keith to retrieve Lance on his own. There was no one, but his own thoughts and the man he grew too fond of. The man he didn’t think he deserved.  
  
He had to try, at least.  
  
His crew hadn’t raised him from the water yet, instead he lowered Lance on the seat in front of him and unhooked the ropes from the ship. The merman looked at him, face pinched in confusion. Without a word, Keith lowered the oars into the water and rowed them through the water. If he started their conversation now he was sure his heart would fly out of his chest. He needed some more time. Hopefully Lance would understand.

He wasn’t sure where he was headed, but he found comfort in the silence in spite of the looming dread of his confession. It was a necessary candor. For Lance’s sake.  
  
As the sunset left the horizon, he stopped rowing when met a patch of Oriande’s illuminating stones that radiated with a turquoise glow under twilight. With the emission of light refracted out from the water, the water lit up with life. Fish swam underneath their boat, but as beautiful as their surroundings were, Keith was too jittery. With the doubt in himself, he couldn’t quite find the will to relax. He had let himself fall in a whirlpool of his own sins.  
  
He needed to do this, to avow. So he took a breath.  
  
“I’m not returning here,” his voice wavered at the acceleration of his heartbeat, “at least not for a while. If it wasn’t for the threat of Lotor I would have stayed, but I can’t.”  
  
He took a breath, and nodded his head to himself. This was a good start, ease Lance into it then rip off the bandaid. But before he could find more words, Lance shook. Not from cold, no, it wasn’t the tropical breeze that made Lance crumble.  
  
“You want to leave me, don’t you?” A frightful whimper left Lance as he stifled a cry.  
  
“No, Lance-” Keith’s hands reached out to Lance’s face to meet his watery eyes, “It’s not- I can’t...”  
  
He couldn’t get the words out. His voice drifted, it was small and weak, and he despised himself for being unable to set ablaze to the courage he always had in battle. But this wasn’t a fight. This was different. He doubted himself, his worth, his thoughts, because he had never experienced the sensation of being cared for. There was no time for that in war. There was no time for it at all. Keith didn’t deserve it because-  
  
_Don’t push him away because you’re insecure._

_Don’t lose him because of things that may not matter._

_Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith and follow your heart._  
  
“I’m a terrible,” He took a shaky breath in, “selfish, greedy person because every day since I met you I couldn’t bare to have anyone else as close to you as I was. I wanted you all to myself.”  
  
Lance eyes widened in shock, tears that had built up in the corner of his eyes flowed like streams down his cheeks.  
  
“You’re a dream I never want to wake up from. For the first time I had something more than myself. And that part of me wants you to stay with me, but- I- How could I ever ask you to stay when I’d be the very thing your stories told you about.” His posture wavered and he hunched forward, pulling back his hands to rest in his lap. “I’m just like the men who want to steal you away, Lance. I’m not worthy of you. You deserve someone so much better than me.... not who makes you upset because they aren't good enough.”  
  
There, he had finally said it all.  
  
Keith hiccuped as the lump that formed in his throat throbbed but he held back the tears that threaten to fall. He was desperate to fling himself off the boat to drown in the bright waters. Maybe he had skipped his death a week ago and now was his time.  
  
“Thank the oceans,” Lance breath out as he wiped away his tears with his hands.  
  
“Huh?”  
  
Lance sniffled, “I thought you didn’t like me anymore after last night.”  
  
“After last night? What-” Memories of them in his bed had Keith’s face flushed red. “No, that- that- uh, no I liked that. A lot.”

Lance observed him for a moment, a spectrum of emotions on his sleeve. The merman could see it now, now more than he ever could. It would have frightened him, however whatever Lance saw, pulled the downturn of his lips up.

“And?”

Keith furrowed his brows. “And what?”

“What else do you like?” He prompted.

Keith licked his lips as her searched in Lance’s eyes. He wasn’t sure what Lance wanted from him, and despite everything he had just said and done, despite Keith convinced that he was a terrible choice for Lance, he wanted to give the merman whatever he wanted.

“You,” it slipped out.

Lance bit his lip at the sincerity laced in his tone–thick with genuine adoration with the warmth of his affection–and pulled himself forward toward Keith. Lance crawled into his lap and Keith leaned back until he was practically laying on the bottom on the boat.

“Lance,” he rebuked, “I’m crazy, about you. Why aren’t you mad at me?”

Lance warbled as he drew himself closer.  
  
“You know the more you talk the more it sounds like a declaration of love,” He purred as he fitted himself in between Keith’s spread legs. “If you call yourself terrible for wanting me all to yourself then I must be evil for wanting you forever. I can’t stop thinking how badly I want to you to claim me and bond with you. Since the day I met you on that beach i’ve thought nothing but having you as my mate. Does that make me unworthy? Are you mad at me for wanting you?”  
  
_‘God, no’_  
  
Keith closed his eyes as Lance brushed his nose along his collar and breathed in the heavy smell of the trees that encased the lake. He lightly dragged his nose up Keith’s neck, the sensation made the man beneath him shiver, until the mermans lips hovered above his own.

Now it was Keith turn, to smell the sweet aroma of Lance. He was drunk off of it, almost immediately, and as if a spark of a flame ignited in his chest, the insecurity he had tortured himself with had taken a back seat to the desperate need, the craving to taste Lance.  
  
“I’m sorry,” Keith whispered.  
  
He was sorry for the desire he had for Lance. Sorry he couldn’t stop himself from caring, from wanting him.  
  
“I’m not,” Lance replied.  
  
Lance gently pressed his lips to Keith with a pleased rumble in his chest. Keith wanted more, more than just a tender kiss and buries his hands in Lance’s hair, pushing up firmly into his lips. He licked his way into the merman’s mouth, hands at his waist. The sensation of Lance’s skin in the palm of Keith’s enticed him to scavenge the body on him. He had to feel all of him. So he would never forget the dip of his spine. The softness of his hips before the blended into brilliant scales.  
  
Everything that he tasted, smelled and felt was Lance.  
  
It was all Lance.  
  
Lance. Lance. Lance.  
  
**Lance**.  
  
“ _Lance_ ,” Keith whimpered out, pulling back from this kiss.  
  
But just barely. His lips brushed against the merman's.  
  
The radiance of the stones around them took Keith’s breath away as the shimmering light of the reflected water danced on Lance’s tan skin. His eyes glistened as bright as waters around them, brilliant, as if he was the treasure in the depths. The heart of the ocean. A deity of the sea.  
  
And Keith could only submit to him.  
  
“Stay with me,” He broke, hopelessly enamoured.  
  
Lance's puckered lips faded and he beamed down at Keith.  
  
“Always," 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keith is such a mood 
> 
> Also, can we all laugh at the fact my fic when abbreviated is POME pft- 
> 
> Please feel free to leave a kudos and/or a comment!
> 
> You can reach out to me here spiraling--maelstrom.tumblr.com if you want to yell at someone about my fic :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience <3
> 
> I’m so goddamn happy. From kudos, to comments, and even bookmarks. It means the world to me that you guys have taken an interest in the world i’ve built. 
> 
> Just a heads up: there is some gore in this 
> 
> Thank you to be beta-reader death-of-apropos :) 
> 
> Enjoy!

The sun rose from the skyline, the twinkling night sky morphed into the pastel pink of dawn. The ship was silent, everyone still asleep in their bunks, expect one person. Keith’s eyes were open, awake, focused intently at the sleeping form of Lance in his bed. Soft breaths tickled Keith’s arm as Lance curled around his hand that he had hugged to his chest. Keith had woken up to his arm asleep, but any reason he had to shake off the numbness in his awakening vanished once he saw the catalyst.

Keith had him in his bed for two days, however now that there wasn’t a timeline, an end to their brief encounter where they wouldn’t separate from the end of the expedition, he was overcome with euphoria. After the dramaticism on the rowboat last night, Keith had given up denying what they both wanted. Now he had a permanent bedmate until Lance wished otherwise; what Keith had wished for the moment he saw him on his bed the first night during the storm. His own treasure. And he couldn’t wrap his head around this fact. It boggled his mind how with one choice, one decision, he managed to flip his world one eighty. The broody captain had become soft for a pretty boy, and was lured into submission. No one had ever compromised him as quickly as Lance had. The selfish part of him was glad that Lance wanted this, and he couldn’t find it in himself to feel ashamed anymore for wanting him just as much. It was no secret. Even his crew noticed a change in Keith during their celebration when Lance and him returned from their boat ride.

_Songs from drunk shipmates echoed across the water. The night life on the ship was loud, prominent, as Keith rowed himself and the clingy merman to the commotion. Lance pressed light kisses to Keith’s neck as he traveled the waters, overcome with happiness._

_It wasn’t until they were pulled up on deck, did the crew lower their voices._

_“Captain,” Rolo nodded his head in acknowledgement._

_The others followed suit, a sign of respect, as they welcomed their Captain on deck. Keith sat down on a stool at the front of the gathered men, Lance was reluctant to be be parted from him, too needy for affection, so he was left cradled in Keith’s arms. Their closeness hadn’t gone unnoticed, beady eyes turned to Keith and Lance as they spoke with hushed voices, only for them. No one dared teased their Captain, they knew all too well of the affection Keith held in his eyes, laid on the merman in his arms. Drunk men sang while others danced, an opportune moment to enjoy what little peace they had. To find joy despite the potential damnation, of their families receiving word they had lost their life in battle. When the moon was high, Pidge managed to convince Lance off of him to announce the turn of events._

_Keith stood, with a glass full of ale._

_“I know you all agreed to come to rest, to help me travel for leisure, but we all knew we could have been called to fight. And now’s that time. The threat of war imminent. We’ve received word that Arus that may be Lotor's target. If we get that purple son of a bitch, we end this. No more deaths, no more fighting. Just you and your families in Mamora or anywhere else you wish.”_

_There was a beat of silence after he spoke. The crew took a second to ponder, but one by one they raised their glass before they simultaneously all chanted:_

_“Together.”_

_Lance reached out for Keith’s fingers and laced them with his own. Keith looked to their intertwined fingers before he met brilliant eyes and a wide white toothed smile._

Now here he rested, the morning after, soon to depart from Oriande with his crew and the object of his affection by his side.

* * *

The deck was busy when Keith came out from the safety of the inside of his ship. Lance observed in awe as Keith made his rounds to check everyone had a job to do. The crew began to untie the sails and once released, each pushed open from the light breeze.

“The wind pushes the ship forward by the sails.” Keith explained when Lance asked what they were.

“But what if there is no wind?”

Keith smiled down at the curiosity that swam in Lance’s eyes.

“Relative wind always exists on the sea, so our ship won’t ever stop, but some days are slower than others.”

Satisfied with Keith’s response, he hummed as he admired the crews work. Keith took Lance abaft once the men needed the deck and sat him down on a seat next to the wheel that he prepared for him. The merman looked up at Keith with a dress shirt buttoned up. The rope Lance treasured was wrapped around his shoulder and waist, he insisted he have it on their first day, however the sleeves of the shirt were too long on him, fingers just barely made it through the cuffs.

“You look like a child in this,” Keith kneeled in front of him and he rolled up the cuffs of the dress shirt.

Lance pouted. “How rude. You’re the one who Insisted I wear it and now you’re insulting me.”

Keith mumbled an apology but could see the satisfaction, the upturn of the merman's lips, at the rolled cuffs. Lance lean frame shook with mirth at the request when they had woken up, ready to leave Keith’s room bare chested. But despite the hilarity, Lance couldn’t deny him. Because he knew the reason, it was all too noticeable especially with the pleased glint in Keith’s eyes when he slipped on the white shirt. Lance was thrilled at Keith’s recent confession of possessiveness, and would take any opportunity to exploit it. So he sat and observed Keith as he gently brushed his fingers along the exposed skin of his hands. If it weren’t for the schedule departure, Keith would have cooped them in his room.

With a light breeze, the sweetness of Lance tempted him to lean slowly in.

“Captain, permission to come abaft?” Pidge asked from mid-ship.

Keith sighed, stopping his mission to Lance’s lips. “Granted.”

She climbed up the steps and grimaced at the sight of Keith kneeling before Lance, hand in hand, face to face.

“I could deal with the cute shit last night but I swear to god if you guys start doing this everyday I’m going to fill your boots with fish guts.”

Lance fluttered unsteady at the threat. Keith with rolled eyes, full knowing it was empty, before he pulled back to stand.

“What is it?” Keith asked, straight to the point.

“We have two deserters.” Pidge crossed her arms as he scanned the deck. “Rolo and Nyma were last seen rowing away before dawn according Hunk.”

Keith tsked and shook his head. “Why didn’t he wake me?”

“You seemed to have a lot on your mind last night.” She flicked her eyes to Lance with a smirk. “While they were great for morale, they were mooching off of us anyways. Barely did anything. Hunk tends to both the kitchen and the ships mechanics anyways.”

He sighed and glanced off to the waters that surrounded them.

“He can’t do two jobs, he’ll burn out. See to it that we have some volunteers for either the kitchen or the other, and raise the anchor.”

She nodded and left them.

“Why did they leave?” Lanced asked when they were alone again.

“Because they’re cowards.”

Lance frowned at Keith’s aversion, lips pursed and brows pinched as studied the man. Keith could feel Lance’s eyes on him and met them with regard.

“What are you thinking about?”

“How my family felt like when I left.” Lance played with the end of the dress shirt, crestfallen. “Would they grieve for me? Would I be still worthy of their love after I turned my back on them?

Keith reached out to brush his thumb along Lance’s cheek. The merman leaned into the gesture and closed his eyes.

“I don’t know what happened to make you leave, but it’s nowhere how I feel about two people who mean nothing to me.” Keith pondered his next choice of words after a beat of silence. “Would you like to talk about it?”

Lance shook his head, but nevertheless appreciated the comfort as he turned to nose Keith’s fingers. Whatever was on Lance’s mind, Keith could tell it weighed heavily on the merman. Lance’s essence was painted somber. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t curious as to why Lance left, but it was evident his happiness wasn’t in the ocean, with his family, at the moment.

“You’re always welcome to speak with me about it if or when you want to,”

“Thank you,” Lance kissed Keith’s open palm.

Across the deck, up at the column, the chime of a bell pulsated. The anchor had been latched into the porthole of the ship, in place. The winds around them opened the fully released sails, and the ship inched forward. The commotion took Lance out of his solum state. His tail wagged excitedly as he inched over the railing of the ship as he surveyed the phenomenon of wind power. Keith pulled out his compass and turned the ship toward the east, outward from Oriande.

“Raise the sail,” Pidge’s voice boomed from mid-deck.

Freed from it’s bindings, the symbol of Mamora–purple and jagged–placed upon a black background, was hoisted up to the top of the mast beside the crows nest. Seagulls flew by, appearing out of nowhere to follow along with the accelerating ship.

“Wow,” Lance breathed out with a radiant smile as he sat back down, “so this is what it’s like to sail on a ship?”

Keith chuckled lightly, “just wait until we get into deep water, she carries us quick and well with high winds.”

Lance glimpsed back at Oriande, the distance to the island continued to grow as the wind pulled them apart.

“I like how you call your ship a she, as if it’s a being.”

“Well, there’s a reason why we do.’” He locked the wheel in place and sauntered over to Lance.

“And what’s that?”

Keith leaned against the railing beside Lance while he fiddled with his compass.

“Because she carries you, protects you like a mother would for her child.”

Lance lips twitched downward but were quickly pressed into a fine line. His brows furrowed in thought, once again a sudden change in demeanor. Keith silently cursed at his carelessness. Ever time he spoke of family, unless it were his own, brought Lance into a state of unhappiness.

“What’s her name?” Lance spoke before Keith could.

“What?”

“The ship.” Lance brushed his fingertips along the wood of the railing, polished and smooth. “If the ship is a she, that means she should have a name.”

Keith remained tight-lipped. Lance’s behaviour was inscrutable. The last thing Keith wanted was to upset the merman, but staying silent was enough for Lance to catch sight of Keith’s growing unease.

“Was that not an appropriate question to ask?”

Keith shook his head, “No, it’s just…” He began but stopped himself short.

He wished he was better at this. Conveying how he felt. He was apprehensive and  wanted nothing more to be a pillar of support for Lance and his bottled misery. But this was out of his realm. Relationships and him were never able to coexist for this reason.

_I want to help you._

“It’s undecided.” He continued but kept an eye on Lance’s expression. “I once thought to name her after my mother but I wasn’t sure if… if that was how I wanted to honour her. So I left the ship unnamed.”

Lance reached out to slip the compass from his grasp and to hold his hand. Keith features contorted, a surge of affection filled his chest and caught in his throat. Here he wanted to comfort Lance and instead the merman had wanted to do the same.

“What was your mothers name?” Lance asked.

“Krolia.”

Lance smiled softly. “What was she like?”

“Strong,” his voice hitched slightly.

This was the first time anyone has asked him such a question and he was unprepared for the vulnerability that rattled his composure, “but somehow also gentle. I have some faint memories of her, teaching me how to fight but wouldn’t let anyone lay a hand on me. She was terribly protective of her family despite her aloof attitude towards others... but I don’t know much about her, truthfully. She died when I was young, I was only six when she left us. Most of my memories of her are fabricated through stories my father told me before he died.”  
  
Lance squeezed his hand gently in comfort. His eyes never left Keith’s, filled with heartache. Despite the solemnness, it was with Lance’s comforting touch that protruded understanding, empathy heavily written in his eyes, that warmed his chest. It was because of loss, their hearts ripped apart from the people who had loved them, that filled the gap between them. Connecting them without the press of their bodies.

Their silence spoke volumes.

Well, that is, until Matt climbed the steps up to join them abaft uninvited. “Mon Capeytan.”

Keith glared at him at his sudden intrusion.

“Look it’s grumpy Keith. Relax, my friend. I didn’t have an opportunity to introduce myself to your friend over here during our meeting the other day.” He offered his hand to the merman. “I’m Matt.”

Lance took a long glance at Keith, comfortably poised as he turned away from Matt, before he blinked at the offered hand before he jerked his hand up and down. “Lance.”

Keith sighed and pulled himself away to stand by the wheel.

“So fishboy, want to let me have a go at some questions while Keith over here tries not to drown us?”

“He’s not a fish.” Keith supplied defensively. “And when have I ever sunk a ship?”

“I don’t know, man, you seem a bit distracted lately.”

“I should throw you into the sea,” Keith mumbled under his breath.

Matt chuckled and brought himself to sit by Lance.

“So what do you say?” Matt probed again.

Turned out, Keith hadn’t thought to ask quite a bit more than just how Lance communicated. As he kept an eye out on the sea, Matt and Lance’s conversation became music to the background noise of the waves that crashed against the ships. There were different kinds of Nanti, apparently, a multitude of races that interbred with one another, however despite their differences they all stemmed from similar ancestors. Similar to humans, eventually evolution divided the species up into categories. Some were proficient with communication, to control the soundwave they emit to speak in all tongues. Others were made to thread life back together, to heal the wounded and the sick. Many had a connection to the ocean, but only some could move water at their free will. However, all had one thing in common, they were able to harness and manipulate the phenomenon of quintessence. That in itself was still a mystery to Keith. How one could control the essence of energy.   

“So you’re the kind of Nanti to speak other languages since you’re talking with us and all that?” Matt questioned.

“Well, my descendants are of many different kinds so I have many abilities.”

Lance glimpsed at the sea, blue waters reflected the clear skies. Deep in thought, Lance hadn’t noticed Keith staring.

“Could you show me?” Matt pressed.

Lance observed the ocean for another moment, before he turned his attention back to Matt. His face throughout the entirely of their conversation had been controlled, stiff, unlike how he had been with Keith but it wasn’t uncomfortable. He couldn’t help but hold down a smile, teeth pressed into his bottom teeth as butterflies in his stomach went rampant.

“I’m still new at it so I don’t know much.” He gave an apologetic frown, conscious-stricken. “I have yet to understand my capabilities.”

Keith made a mental note to ask Lance about that later. Maybe he could help the merman further his skills somehow.

“Permission to some abaft,” Pidge took Keith from his thoughts.

“Why, yes Pidge.” Keith exaggerated as he side eyed Matt. “Thank you for asking.”

Matt snickered.

“What did Matt do?” Pidge smiled as she made her way up.

Matt shrugged with a mischievous smirk. “I didn’t do anything, I’m _just_ asking Lance some questions,”

“Without me?” Pidge narrowed her eyes at Keith.

“Don’t look at me,” Keith shook his head, “that’s all him.”

“Betrayed by my own,”

“Aw, don’t be upsetti.” Matt reached out for his sister and snatched her in a headlock.

As he noogied her head, messing up her locks, Lance regarded them quizzically. The banter between them was friendly, fun, but it was the closeness between that made Lance blurt out:

“Are you two mates?”

Matt and Pidge stilled their horseplay .

“Oceans hells, no.” Pidge gagged away from her older brother while Keith threw his head back in laughter.

“We’re siblings!” Pidge yelled.

Lance cocked his head, skeptical.  

“Humans are really strange,” The merman mumbled.

“What’s so strange about being close to your wittle swister” Matt nuzzled annoyingly against Pidge’s head as she attempted to push him off with a strangled cry.

“You are extremely physically affectionate with one another. How does one differentiate between family bonding and romantic affection then?”

“Intention, really.” Pidge shoved Matt off his seat and onto the deck, sprawled out like a starfish.

“So how do humans show affection? Keith has been very responsive and appreciative of my rituals, but now I wish to know his to satisfy his needs.”

Pidge smirked at Keith, “I think yours will do just fine.”

“Okay,” Keith cut in, now irritated, “time for the both for you to leave.”

“Aw come on, Matt got to ask all the good questions while I was hard at work. I need to know how sappy you get when Lance puts his moves on you.”

“Maybe Lance can show me?” Matt wiggled his brows.  

Keith glowered at the siblings and rightfully evicted them to the main deck, away from him and Lance. The merman wagged his tail as a coy grin met his lips. Maybe because it was obvious to everyone that Keith was a romantic at heart and enjoyed teasing him. Possibly because of the lovely, rosey blush that spread across Keith’s face, or the pout of his lips because of his embarrassment. Truthfully, it was all of that, alongside the fiercely protective aura emitted from the Captain. One of possessiveness.

Lance affections for Keith was incessant, copious with his jealousy.  

“Sorry about that,”

Lance fiddled with the rope that clung to him as he regarded Keith with eyes full of fancy. “You have nothing to apologize for.”

“Mh,” Keith reached out and slipped his fingers along the rope, “I still don’t understand why you’d want to wear that,”

Lance followed Keith’s touch against his gift. “It’s special to me,”

“But it doesn’t do you justice. You’re better suited for jewelry.”

“Like treasure?”

Keith didn’t respond. With the mention of glimmering valuable goods, it brought memories of the necklace he bought for Lance on Oriande. How it was still in his jacket. It weighed heavily on him, tucked in his pocket, now that he was aware of it. Especially how the conversation was a perfect opportunity to reveal and present it to the merman. Keith’s fingers left the rope and itched towards the folded piece of fabric.

But, he kept it hidden. While it belonged on the elegance of Lance’s neck, Keith was timid. Worried and unsure. It didn’t matter that Lance had been nothing but responsive to his advances or that Lance was courting him, this gift was more than just a representation of his affections and Keith wasn’t sure if he could vocalize how much he cared for him. He was crazy about the bright-eyed boy in front of him but his focus was caught between a fight and his growing affections. Keith couldn't give Lance the attentiveness he deserved because of his duty to stop unjust bloodshed and pollution.

Maybe when the time was right he would gift it to him. Offer it when there wasn’t a raging war. Tie it to his neck when there was no longer an impending doom that loomed over the ocean. When he could return to his expedition and bring Lance back to Oriande to where they met. Maybe then he could proclaim his dedication to him. To solidify their apparent developing relationship, if that’s what this was, and give the necklace as a sign of his commitment.

The idea itself was intense, extremely zealous of Keith, considering how short of time he had known Lance. But a piece of cheap rope was of such importance to the merman solely on the fact it belonged to Keith. Lance said he wanted Keith to be his mate, and that gave Keith a multitude of firsts for many the aspects of his life. He brought value to his existence, more than his position in the war could ever do for him; along with a whole new world. Literally.

And he would do right by him, with everything he could. That’s why he picked out the other bundled fabric he had stuffed into the compartment of his jacket.

Lance tilted his head as he watched the encased unknown item while Keith sat beside him.

“What’s that?” Curiosity enveloped the merman as he leaned forward, eager to uncover the mystery Keith held.

Keith swallowed nervously. There was no need to be but, nevertheless, his heart fluttered as he began to unravel the fabric.  

“Remember the scale you gave me?”

“Of course,” Lance nodded, eyes attentive at Keith’s hands, “how could I forget?”

“Right, well, when I was in Oriande I happened to pick up something.” His voice was low, weak, as his nerves took over.

He hadn’t realized his hand had been shaking until Lance gently cupped them with his own. The merman gave a smile of encouragement, patient despite his eagerness to understand. Keith bit the inside of his cheek at the attentiveness.

He didn’t deserve this boy.

He slipped the fabric from underneath the necklace frame, and the scale within it. He kept his eyes intently on his hands as he twirled the jewelry for Lance. The merman’s breath hitched, and now it was his hands that trembled. Lance reached toward the chain and lifted it between the pinch of his fingers. He still hadn’t said anything, but gaped at the item.

Keith cleared his throat, “I figured it would be nice to be able to wear it, too see it rather than have it hidden in my jacket.”

“Other people will see it as well.” The merman stated softly.

“I’m okay with that,”

A small rumble escaped from Lance, a pleased purr with the declaration. Blue eyes, hooded heavily, lifted from jewelry in his hands to the man before him. Keith’s stomach flipped in excitement at the heated look, filled with want and lust. Similar to the one under the stars a couple nights before. He shivered at the memory.

“Would you put it on me?” He asked in a whisper to which Lance nodded.

Keith kneeled down and turned around. He lifted up his hair to expose the nape of his neck. The necklace draped across this chest as Lance clasped the chain together. Keith closed his eyes as the sensation of Lance’s fingers that smoothed out the decorative metal links, his touch brushed against Keith’s pale skin. And then, Lance added another light press of something delicate and soft. Before Keith could look over his shoulder, he pulled back.

Lance licked his lips, as if to taste Keith, while the merman's attention was solely at the scale around his neck. Entranced, his eyes twinkled in delight. And he continued to do so, even as Keith left back to the wheel. Instead of the breathtaking view that surrounded the skin, Lance’s eyes never strayed from Keith. And the Captain could feel the gaze, every so often he would glance to Lance and squirmed shyly at the warm look in his blue eyes.

Who was the person Keith had become? He couldn’t answer this himself. So different than he was before. A stranger to him and to the people around him. He had already exposed himself last night during their celebration, but his embarrassment was nowhere near as powerful as his attachment.

As night fell, the sun disappeared under the horizon and the stars appeared, brighter than it had in Oriande. Lance eyes were finally taken from his affections, drawn to the twinkling lights of the night sky. When Keith took notice of this, he called a replacement for him. When another stood at the wheel, Keith relieved himself to sit by Lance.

“Tell me more about the stars?” Lance leaned against Keith’s shoulder as he looked skyward.

Keith heart skipped at the physical touch.

“Well, they serve as a perennial symbol of self-transcendence. That our souls may be among the stars when our lives come to an end. Or to reach for the stars during our life, to want or try to get something that is difficult or impossible to get.”

“Stars are deeply romantic for humans, aren’t they?”

Keith pondered, “I suppose so.”

“Do you feel that way?” Lance asked as he offered Keith his compass back.

“I don’t really think about the stars all too much. If I could reach them, go past the sky, then maybe. I do envy birds who can fly but advancement in technology is only just flourishing. Well, unless you’re willing to sacrifice the world for an easy way toward innovation but I’m not the Galra. Sailing the seas with the wind gives me all the fulfillment that the stars probably could have.”

“You love the ocean,” Lance sighed happily, “and she knows.”

“Does she?”

“The Nanti are her children, and she protects us.” Lance pulled back from Keith’s shoulder and wrapped his arms around his waist. “Just as your ship protects you.”

Ocean winds were unkind. The chill of the night air made Lance uncomfortable, and Keith took notice. Attentive to the needs of Lance, Keith gladly offered his jacket to him. Wrapped in his clothes, Keith bit down a smile.

“It smells like you.” Lance inhaled deeply, eyes closed. “Like the plants from which you came from at the lake in Oriande and the material that your ship is made of.”

“I smell like trees and wood?”

Lance nodded, “yeah, I like it. Smells rich.”

Keith grinned at Lance’s statement. If he could purr, he would, satisfied with the mermans opinion of his scent. Something he would have never considered to be something that he desired to have prior to Lance. The breezy confession, relaxed, still brought Lance’s check to a red flush. A small smile met his lips as he stared fondly at the man before him.

Oh, how Keith wanted to kiss him. He hadn’t yet today, which should be a crime. As he remembered the soft touch of them, the sweetness that Lance was, he slowly leaned in. Lance took notice of his desire and followed suit. Just before they could meet, they were pulled out of this tranquility by a crewmate at the crows nest.

“Captain, ahead!”

He took a glance past the bow, the front of the ship, and his stomach dipped. A wall of rolling clouds along the ocean surface. Miles long without end in sight, height as tall as the Marmor mountaintop, an incoming threat had appeared without notice. Keith stood abruptly, heartbeat picked up as he stood in front of Lance, almost instinctively, as he scanned the incoming mass of condensed water vapour. It spanned the sea from east to west. Never in his years of sailing had he come across such a phenomenon.

“Crew to their stations!” Keith ordered and he took the helm.

A horn was blown two times and immediately men filed out from inside the ship. Pidge came along with the crew, stating commands in Keith’s stead.

“Keith?”

“Lance,” Keith breathed out as his attention was taken from the sight, “I should take you inside.”

“I’ll be fine, I want to stay here with you.”

Keith gnawed on the inside of his cheek nervously but said nothing. Keith did not know the capabilities of the merman, but wouldn’t question him, however, he couldn’t quench down the worry that harm would come to him. A raw, terrible sensation of fear that slightly chipped off the identity of the captain he had become. He was more than a captain now, more than just a person. He had Lance by his side and Keith wanted nothing more than to protect him at the sight of potential danger.

Pidge raced up the steps to stand beside Keith once the crew was in order, ship prepared for attack. She didn’t need to ask permission to stand beside him at the moment, and she knew it.

“What are we dealing with?” Keith asked.

“It could potentially be biological warfare, but until we close enough for me to grab a sample we can’t know for sure. We need to check if it’s acutely toxic before we enter. We’d need to lower the sails now for a chance.”

The distance between the travelling cloud and them continued to shorten. Too quickly.

“We may not have enough time to do that.” Keith pursed his lips as his brows furrowed in concentration.

“Then what’s the plan?”

Keith stood silent for a moment, deep in thought. He had the responsibility to protect his crew, however despite being faced with adversity, there was only one route to Arus and it was through the approaching wall.  

“We still head East. Prepare all stations for imminent contact. Have everyone cover their nose and mouths with a fabric to filter whatever the fuck we’re about to enter.”

As Pidge went off to adjust the crew for exposure, Keith turned to Lance who hadn’t take his eyes off him. There was fear that was written in the furrow of his brows and the downturn of the corner of his lips. But it wasn’t because he was afraid, no, it wasn’t fear for himself that made Lance fret. It was concern for Keith’s wellbeing. As much as that would have pleased Keith before, he was too worried for the other as well. Keith gaze lowered to the merman's gills, despite them being covered by his camouflage, he was unsure if it protected Lance from airborne threats.

“Lance, what do you need?” Lance’s brows furrowed in confusion at Keith’s question. “To cover up your gills, mouth, and nose.”

“You don’t have to worry about me, my pearl.” Lance assured, with a tenderhearted smile. “I have many abilities that protect my respiratory system.”

His chest knotted in unease, uncertain. There was nothing from a wall of the unknown that would have crippled him like this. What if it was more than just an aerosol that would harm the man before him?

“If anything happens,” his hand gripped the wheel as the other reached for the hilt of his blade, “I will protect you.”

He could barely admire Lance’s satisfied smile as he used the fabric that once protected the necklace to tie around his neck before covered the lower half of his face. Then silence, as everyone aboard the ship stared ahead. It was quiet, everyone anticipated the moment as the proximity closed, second by second.

Ten meters.

Keith gripped the wheel lightly as his heartbeat knocked against his skull. It was all he heard as his ship rocked forward.

Seven meters.

He glimpsed at his crew, assembled and ready while Pidge grabbed a gun from a nearby rack and primed it.

Five.

He reached up and gently brushed his fingertip along the scale around his neck.

Three.

He exhaled, deeply.

Two.

He swallowed, tense.

One.

The ship rocked and as the bowsprit touched the cloud, it all but disappeared from their sight. Slowly, the wall consumed the ship inch by inch, and Pidge had all but vanished.

“Pidge?” Keith called out.

“No visibility!” She responded.

The mist finally found Keith, and just before he was enveloped, he spared a glance at Lance. The merman eyed the wall curiously and closed his eyes went he made contact. Keith fretted as Lance disappeared, but as he joined him in the dense dispersion, he had only himself to share his worry with. He could faintly see the wheel in front of him, Lance just a faint blur, the water droplets in suspension dense and close together. All noise outside the ship ceased to exist, only the creak of the ship, the chatter of the crew, and his breath. Keith exhaled deeply, uncomfortably cramped despite still being able to move freely. He pulled out his compass and held it close to his face, ready to readjust course if needed but the metal needle spun sporadically.

“Magnetism is unstable,” Keith announced to Pidge.

Navigational equipment was useless. Whatever they were in had its own properties, it’s own electric currents of elementary particles.

Then, the humming began. As a crewmember called out that the sails went limp, a low steady continuous sound like that of a bee reverberated around the ship. The cloud, incredibly thick carried the noise, it traveled quick along water. The vibrations were strong that Keith could feel it in his chest. Keith pulled his attention from his compass and searched the white haze. They weren’t moving. Fog had ceased to move past them. There was no wind or apparent current to carry the ship forward. Something had immobilized them.

Beside him, unbeknownst to Keith, Lance perked up at the noise. Familiar sounds resonated within the merman, as if it were calling out to him.

“Keith,”

Keith turned toward where Lance sat beside him. “What is it?”

“I’ve heard this before,”

As he mentioned his familiarity with the sound, it’s intensity increased. As if it responded. Powerful, as the frequency lowered. Deep and mighty to the core, almost too much as Keith placed a hand over his chest to steady himself. But it was plethoric, and slowly the sensation travelled and rattled his mind. Addled as the hum replaced his own thoughts. Blue and brown. Warmth and light. honey and happiness.

 _Yearning_.

Keith knees gave out as he succumbed to the sensation of the heavenly state, wrapped up in the essence of Lance while pandemonium broke out on the ship. He couldn’t pay mind to anything else, he had no ability to, as the thrill of his longing chained him to the floor of the ship. Kneeled over, on his hands. Weakened.

“ _Keith_ ,” A serine voice called out to him.

Keith couldn’t make out the touch to his face as cheek, the weight of his head carried by the gentle hands. His eyes glossed over, inebriated by the sound that made Keith accede. Desperate to fall deeper, to remain safe in the obscurity.

“ _Keith_ ,” Softer, familiar.

Visions of Lance, the wondrous myth of the sea coaxed him to come forward. To gather himself up to his feet and fall into the deep with him. Where they could be, forever. Under the water. Together.

But it was the voice he wanted more of. The touch that kept him steady. The realness of his desires. But his body wasn’t his own. He whined for the for the one that called to him, leaned into touch that had him. The delicate hands worked their way from his cheek to the back of his head, then around to his front. They wrapped something, tight around his head, and when they knotted whatever it was, Keith had pulled his consciousness back in his control.

He blinked, confused, unfocused for a moment. Dizzy and disoriented. Lance was the first that he could make out as he came to. Worried eyes, brows knitted together.

“Lance,” He breathed out.

‘I have you’ The words he could not hear, almost at all, but Keith read the merman lips as he spoke.

Keith cocked his head, puzzled. No noise.

He reached up to meet fabric that covered his ears. Only when he realized Lance had separated him from the vibration that poisoned his mind, he also took note that the merman was bare chested. He stripped himself to wrap the dress shirt around his head.

“Thank you,”

Lance smiled, but beckoned him away from him, toward midship.

As he stood, body now his, he overlooked the ship. The crew had also fallen victim to the loss of their bodies and mind, many had fallen like he had, except one. Pidge ran to everyone as she attempted to aid them, but they all remained entranced. All on the ground, delirious as Keith had been. That is, until one took to walk toward the rail of the ship. Quick, Keith jumped over the stairs and raced toward the man that stood at the edge, but too late to catch him as his fingertips barely missed the shirt of a crewmate. He plummeted into the water, and with a thrash of water, he hadn’t resurfaced. Drowned in the dark depths.

The Captain took a glance back to Pidge, her eyes wide and confused. She was alone, unaffected by what the men aboard failed to resist, what they willingly yielded to. Lance had also been an out-group. Whatever the correlation was, the variables were unimportant when two other crew members made their way to jump off the ship. One of which, was Matt.

“What the fuck?” Pidge’s voice was loud enough that Keith could hear it through the fabric. “What are you doing?!”

As Keith wrapped his arms around the other crewmate, Pidge pushed her brother back. She yelled, as he struggled to get past her. To relieve himself of whatever constraints that held him back, that held him from whatever he desired. He was somewhere else, and didn’t know it was his sister that tried to save him. The man in Keith’s arms barely resisted, whatever conditions the hypnosis had, it varied from person to person. All he knew what Lance had shown him.

“Cover his ears!” Keith yelled as he threw the man against the mast of the ship.

But was she too short, her tiny frame, smaller than the man that towered over her. Her arms desperate as they reached up in an attempt to cover his ears but he easily shoved her hands away as he stepped closer and closer to the rail of the ship. Keith nabbed a line and tied the man to the post. He lacked strength, unproblematic and weakened as Keith had been. As Keith tightened the knot to hold the man down, he raced toward Matt who now stood atop the railing.

“NO!” Pidge screamed.

Keith lunged forward as Matt’s knees went limp. He plummeted suddenly, and Keith narrowly missed the window to grab him, yet somehow managed wrapped his fingers around his wrist just in time. But only at the expense of his other hand. The weight of Matt pulled Keith overboard, had him slide over the wooden barrier. He latched his other hand onto the railing, fingers dug into fine wood, however with Matt and himself immediately straining Keith’s wrist. The overworked fibrous material underneath his grip snapped from underneath his palm and pierced the underside of his hand.

Keith clenched his jaw as he attempted to stifled a howl of pain, but it was too excruciating that he came out in a yap. They swung, the momentum from the fall continuously dug the sliced wood deeper into him. Pidge, eyes red and filled with tears, desperately tried to help as Matt wiggled to get free from his grasp. All Keith could do was be pulled both ways, the tension on his shoulders ached. Pidged tugged as best as she could but the weight of him and her brother were too much for the frail woman. There was no one around to aid her, the crew still incapacitated. Keith wondered if the crew inside his ship were the same.

‘Please,’ Keith read Pidge’s lips as she begged to no one, tears spilled down her cheeks.

As Matt hung in suspension, Keith was the glue that kept him from his death. That’s all he could do, without his the support of his crew there was nothing else that could be done. It was either he let go of Matt or the wood ripped through his ligaments to send them both to drown.

“Pidge,” Keith got out between his teeth, “get rope or anything that you can find to wrap around Matt.”

She disappeared from Keith sight as she frantically searched around her.

While Keith let his head lull back, exhaustion from the pain that bled into his shirt the he wore. Worn out from the tension, the stress on his body. But he dropped his guard too soon. Something that creeped in the dark waters, a being that took a life from Keith’s crew, sprung out from underneath them and got a hold of Matt’s legs.

If he thought the pain was unbearable then, the sound that was torn from his throat was a hellish, agonizing scream as the jagged piece of wood ripped through his hand completely. It cut, gaping hole his hand. Blood practically poured out of him as the monster pulled harder. Pain was something Keith could ignore. He had been beaten, broken, and branded, but being stabbed through your hand while the sharp edges continued to dig into it was a something else entirely. As he fought to keep himself together, literally, he was easily taken from the strenuous state as Lance pulled himself overtop the railing abaft the ship.

“Lance!” Keith yelled out for him, now frantic for entirely different reason.

The desire to protect was too evident in his wide darkened eyes and parted lips. A quick assessment over Keith, to his torn apart hand and the monster that terrorized them, Lance disregarded the danger in the water and flung himself over. Something Keith would gladly do for him if it had been Lance were he was now. However, that didn’t stop the grievous cry when Keith watched Lance dive head first into the dark unknown.

The air in his lungs left, the ache in his chest spiraled as uncontrollable fear overtook the pain in his hand that gashed more and more blood. Keith never took his eyes away from the rippled water where Lance disappeared in. Wretched, that he failed to notice the creature let go. With his ears covered, he was in his own world of anguish. He didn’t notice when Matt came to and yelped at the sudden position he was in. Not when his crew woke from their slumber. Not when Pidge flung a rope for Matt to take and pulled him up. Not even when it was just him, as he hung off the side of the ship.

_He’s alive, he has to be._

There was so sign, no movement, in the water that gave any indication that Lance hadn’t  survived.

_But what if-_

Keith grimaced, uncertainty seeping into his morale. His dismal thoughts ate away at his hopefulness that Lance was alright.

With that he swung a leg over the rail and planted his feet on deck now that the added weight had been taken from him. He kept his eyes firmly at the still water, and for a moment, had forgotten about his hand still lodged into the wood of the ship. As his first mate rushed to her brother, and tackled him into a hug, Keith inched toward the back of the ship. He ached to look above from abaft, he bellowed out in agony when the wood gashed in deeper in his hand.

Keith glared down at his bolted hand before pulled the fabric from his head with his free hand to welcome sound once again.

“You stupid, idiot.” Pidge cried into her brother’s chest. “You’re all I have left. You’re not allowed to die.”

“I’m sorry,” Matt whispered.

Keith sighed, and swallowed the lump in his throat. The noxious noise was gone, only the voices of the being aboard the ship could be heard. No minds to be frazzled, no lives to destroy. When Keith lifted his gaze above him, the fog went with it. Slowly but surely, visibility around them, across the ocean, was theirs once more as the clear night sky greeted them. Not a cloud in sight as the mist dissipated into nothingness while the sails opened by touch of the wind. His ship rocked forward and left their idled spot.  

The imminent parting, while being unable to do anything, destroyed Keith from the inside out. He could tear his hand and jump into the water like he desperately wished to, but the wood beneath his hand was dyed red. He had lost too much blood, fatigued. Even his body protested against what his heart desired.

He couldn’t move, do anything, than to just stand there. Similar to how he had been, paralyzed, before Lance had liberated him from being spellbound. Or when he was incapable of moving, until Lance had saved him with his own life. He shifted, almost querulous.

 _‘Like a child’_ , incapable of doing anything.

“Pidge,” Keith grunted.

“Fuck, Keith.” Pidged rushed over. “Shit, we need to remove it properly from the wood. You’re going to bleed a lot more once it’s out... I’ll be right back.”

She scurried off into the ship, and Keith closed his eyes as he was left alone once more. Well, as alone as he could be. Keith bit the inside of his cheek, withholding the frustration that continued to build. Impatient, waspish.

It was too much, but he wouldn’t allow himself to crumble in front of others however his heart had other plans. Frustrated tears built up at the corner of Keith’s eyes, and he grimaced at the sensation. He rubbed his eyes clean with the cuff of his free arm, sleeve just barely touched by red.

When Pidge came back, with bandages, a needle, thread, some rum, and Thace at her side, he cleared his throat and swallowed down the vexation.

“Rum? He questioned.

“Thought you could use a drink.” She smirked. “Turns out, everybody who was asleep wasn’t affected by whatever the fuck that was.”

“I apologize.” Thace hovered around Keith, worried. “Shiro won’t be happy about this.”

“I’m fine, he doesn’t need to know.”

Keith looked back out to sea to purposefully ignore the hard look Thace gave him. But, hopeful to see a familiar face. But nothing trailed behind them. Just the gentle waves that the ship broke through as he sailed East.

“Keith,” Pidge reprimanded him, probably because he was painted in pathetic defeat, “he’s going to be okay.”

He wished he could believe her, but how could she know? She had no idea what those monsters were, or what Lance could have done. Keith barely knew anything about the merman, other than how he made him feel. But her cheeks were still teared stained and eyes puffed red. He wouldn’t dare further stress her out, so he only nodded in response.

Pidge offered a glass of rum, the potent odour made Keith wrinkle his nose in aversion. But nevertheless he downed the shots. Despite the immediate effects of the alcohol, it couldn’t completely numb the pain that shot through his hand and arm when Pidge slowly, inch by inch, removed his hand from being stapled. His vision blackened, and body swayed, spent from exertion. Thace supported him as Pidge pricked him again and again to sew the wound up while his blood marked her fingertips.

Once she was done, bandaged hand secured, Keith pulled himself away from Thace, toward the back of the ship.

“You literally won’t be able to use that hand for a month, at least. You tore multiple ligaments and damaged some muscles. You’re lucky you didn’t break anything. Don’t move it unless absolutely necessary.”

Keith waved her off as he took his first few steps up, but staggered lightly midway. He leaned against the railing, debilitated.  

“Keith, seriously? You need to rest.” Pidge reprimanded.

Thace was at his side, but Keith shoved his offered hand aside.

“I’m fine, I can stay up.” He stood tall, straight up, to demonstrate, but swayed lightly, head still light.

Pidge scoffed. “You’re seconds away from falling over.”

“I said-”

“Keith!”

His stomach burst, butterflies soared up through his chest as his heavy eyes widened, searching for the merman's voice. His heart fluttered as he gathered whatever strength he had left to follow where he had last heard Lance. When he saw that swimming form of Lance, as he lightly jumped out of the water to keep up with the moving ship, the dam burst. His heart tripped over itself as the flood gates opened.

“Lower the rowboat!” He ordered, voice hoarse.

He was a mess. A jittered, exhausted mess. Keith could have cried from joy when Lance lifted himself out of the water and held his stare as he inched closer and closer to him. The crew tugged too slowly at the rope, and in desperation, Keith leaned over the side of the ship and reached his uninjured hand to Lance. Gentle as the merman was, his fingertips tenderly threaded into Keith’s, before he was pulled into embrace. Lance yielded to Keith’s sudden affection and molded into him.

“Thank the oceans you’re okay.” Keith breathed out.

Lance nuzzled his cheek against Keith and sighed happily. But all too soon, Lance pulled back from him.

“But you’re not,” Lance brushed his hand over Keith's bandaged one.

“As long as you are, I don’t care what I am.”

Lance gave him a soft look, eyes glimmered in fondness. “That might be a problem.”

Keith pinched his brow, confused.

Lance bit his lip and lightly picked at the buttons of Keith’s dress shirt, a delicious crimson blush spread along his cheeks. “I feel the same way.”

 _Fuck_ -

He didn’t need his heart anymore. It no longer belonged to him. It rested in the delicate beauty that he had before him. In the chest of his treasure.

Lance eyes flicked down to his lips, and inched in slowly until they fitted like a puzzle piece. Perfectly together. The touch of their lips was more exhilarating than anytime before. It was all their moments, all their kisses, pressed into one.

Raw. Heated.

 _Desperate_.

His lungs ached for air, but he’d gladly suffocate. He needed to be closer, wanted all of him. Lance gently pulled back once again, and chuckled lightly at the hushed whine that left Keith’s lips. He chased after the sweetness, hungry for more. A thirst only the merman could quench.

He could never let the monsters of the sea pull him under, to tear him from the surface, because he was already caught. Willingly drowned by priceless love.

* * *

Long white hair floated around the pinked tailed mermaid as she surveyed the depths of the canyon before her. At the edge of the cliff, away from the illuminated stoned city behind her, she searched the blue abyss. She would not relish in the beauty that was Atlea, her home, for her purpose was elsewhere. Lost on the surface, carried away by a black-haired crow. She gripped the silver trident in her hand, knuckles turned white.

It had been an entire moon cycle without him.

“Coran.” She greeted the incoming man, already had anticipated his arrival. “Well?”

“They were disarmed and ordered to disengage.”

She floated, contemplated the information for a moment before she stated. “He’s protecting them.”

“That’s impossible.” The orange tailed man crossed his arms. “That doesn’t sound like the boy I raised.”

“He must be there against his will, trying to protect us.”

Like mother like son.

“Allura, the sirens cannot disobey his orders.”

“Fine,” she tapped the trident against the ground under her and golden encrusted armour was placed upon her body with a white light, “I’ll do it myself.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Do not drink alcohol while you have an open wound. Regardless of potential of it dampening down on pain signals that sensory neurons send to the brain, alcohol thins your blood. This makes it difficult to clot, which is imperative in the healing process. Thinned blood leads to continuous/high blood loss, fainting, and sometimes death. Use proper first aid treatment and/or head to a hospital!
> 
> Thank you for reading <3
> 
> You can follow me on tumblr @ spiraling--maelstrom :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Britney Spears: It's been a while
> 
> Thank you to death-of-atropos for beta reading.

It was quiet as everyone gathered themselves in the aftermath. As they travelled along the seas surface, the crew manned the ship. Pidge called for Keith’s replacement, all while the Captain collected himself. He was a mess, still frazzled by the prior events, by Lance gone. Engulfed with his own despondency. Even though Lance was carried in his arms, wrapped in his jacket–snug around the merman, as they picked up the mermans treasured rope that he had left behind before diving into the ocean. Keith hugged him in his arms close to him, as if he’d float away if he didn’t hold on tight enough. 

“Keith,” Pidge called out to him before he disappeared into the ship, “try not to use your hand, including carrying Lance. Thace will happily do it.”

Keith grunted and continued to do so. Lance had already suggested Thace carry him, but he refused. The faint throb of his hand was nothing compared to his desire to hold Lance to his chest. To have his warmth against him. A constant reminder that Lance was alive. He needed it. On his way to his quarters, Keith ignored the pointed look Thace gave when he had to rest against the wall to gather his energy. Even offered to help, but Keith just shook his head, quiet as he left for his room. Lance was quiet, head rested on Keith’s shoulder. 

As they arrived, Keith closed the door and sat them both down at his bed. He was gentle as he rested the merman down, as if he’d break if he did it too quick. Like a delicate, fragile artifact. Irreplaceable. Keith sat beside him, at the edge but hadn’t joined him. Not yet. He was rendered him weak as Lance glanced at the space between them and then back at him. It was frightening how easily he captured Keith in, how easily the merman’s affection translated in his eyes. How Keith could feel the warmth of his affection, or the anxiousness of his concerns. He felt him without touching, listened without speaking. It was unguarded, open. And Keith took him all in while Lance’s eyes crinkled, heart on his sleeve. 

How foolish Keith was to have left Lance alone. He was furious at himself. The Galra chastised him for leaving his other half, disappointed in himself. The human ached, ashamed. Together, they ripped apart at his honour. 

“You’re clothes are covered in blood,” Lance broke the silence, “you should change out of them.”

Any other time Keith would have flushed, been embarrassed, at the suggestion of undressing but now a cloud of dread loomed above him.  He gnawed on his bottom lip, as he stared down at his dirtied buttoned up shirt. Keith, much to his chagrin, wasn’t able to undress himself, being temporarily crippled, his dominant hand was useless. The slow trickle of ignominy, humiliation, seeped into Keith’s chest. With Lance here, the one person he never wished to look incompetent in front of–inept at doing a basic task–it struck repugnance to the ethos of the Galra. And Lance, bless his heart, as observant as he was, couldn’t read Keith’s puzzled look as he stared down at his bloodied shirt but nevertheless reached out and cupped Keith’s cheek to turn his attention to him.

“What’s wrong?” Keith furrowed his brows in an attempt to decipher what expression Lance had seen. “What are you worrying about?”

Keith pursed his lips. “I’m fine.”

He tried to pull away from Lance but the merman’s other hand came to trap his face tenderly in his hands. Lance pleaded silently, but Keith heard him loud.

Lance wanted to understand him. And Keith didn’t want to take that for granted, to make the same mistake twice, to push him away and put a rift between them. To make him upset. As much as he hated being vulnerable, he had to be honest if he wanted this to work. If he wanted Lance to be happy. If he wanted to have something special with him.

But he wasn’t sure if unraveling his demons would.

“It’s really nothing,” he cleared his throat,“nothing important..”

“It’s important to me.

Keith swallowed the lump in his throat. He was ruined from loving anyone else ever again because he would never find anyone else better than the man before him.

”.. Ashamed.”

“Ashamed?” Lance voice practically croaked as his hands fell to Keith’s chest.

He gave a heavy sigh and raised his injured hand in response.  

“You did your best, that’s all anyone could ask of you.”

Keith shook his head. “You shouldn’t have had to risk your life for me.”

“And why not?” Lance, voice raised in irritation as his tailed lightly thumped against the bed.

Keith was taken aback by Lance’s hurt expression but he quickly composed himself.

“Because it should have been me.”

Lance’s face twisted in disapproval. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“I’ve lived through a life of this.” He began slowly, irritated. Not at Lance. No, never at Lance, but at himself. “I know what war is like, I know what fighting is like, and I know what almost dying is like. I know  _ this  _ .”

He gestured to nothing in particular, maybe to the ship or the events of the past.

“It’s who I am. And it should have been me. What kind of captain am I if I can’t handle a simple ambush? You know how laughable it was compared to what I’ve faced. If it weren’t for you we’d be all dead.” He clenched his jaw, writhed in suppressed anger.

He took a shaky breath.

“This ship isn’t made for battle and I’m heading straight into one. I don’t know what Shiro was thinking when he let me go on this  _ stupid  _ expedition.”

He suppressed a shudder, being ill prepared and an impediment to a successful outcome would lead them straight into a massacre. 

“Why do you speak of yourself in such an ill light?” Lance breath hitched as he held back tears. “You’ve never let yourself truly live and you beat yourself up once you taste what it’s like to be on the other end of protection. You’re not a god, Keith. You aren’t meant to be perfect.”

“But I should be.”

“No!” Lance raised his voice, lip quivered as he stared at Keith.

His eyes brimmed with tears still, but he held them back.

“You shouldn’t be a mindless soldier who risks their life without a thought to themselves. I appreciate your efforts and your morals but I don’t want you dying because of them.”

He had been birthed into a war and hadn’t known anything else but this. He was a soldier who needed to sacrifice his freedom to protect those who had theirs taken away from them. He was used to this. He was okay with this. Because he had been privileged with a life without slavery. But instead of continuing the one mission, the only mission, he had known his entire life–to defeat what remained of the Galra–he chose to pursue his own for a change. To live a life that gave him more meaning than this war could have.More than the blade could offer. And for a short amount of time it had. But now, as he returned, he was  _ useless. _

“You’re not useless!” Lance cried.

Keith hadn’t realized he said that aloud.

“You’ve saved me, Keith. Still are, in this very moment. Ever since I met you, you’ve always been saving me. And you will continue to do so, and never stop.” Lance sighed and dropped his hands to Keith’s damaged one to cradle gently. “The Galra, they… I lost someone, before I left my home. I wasn’t able to protect them and I couldn’t bare to stay put. They won’t stop pillaging my people. It hurt existing where one should feel safe and secure...”

Lance took a moment. He made a small warbled sound as he took a deep breath in.

“You were willing to sacrifice yourself for your friend. You think of other people before your own well-being. You love the ocean. You’re heading back into a war that you may not come out of all because you want to do what’s right. You’re good. Truly good. You brought light into my life when I was at my darkest time. How could you even think for a moment you’re useless?”

Finally, the tears that had built up in the mermans eyes spilled.

“No, no, no. Hey, shh,” Keith leaned to Lance, and gently cupped his cheek with his free arm. “I’m sorry, please don’t cry. I’m- fuck, I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m sorry-”

“You’re not useless,” Lance cut him off and shook his head, “you just don’t realize how amazing you are and how much you deserve. Why won’t you let people care for you as you do for them?”

“I don’t know about amazing,” Keith gave a lighthearted, crooked grin.

Lance leaned into the hand that head his cheek as he sniffled away his heartache.  

“Keith, could I please do something for you?”

Keith tilted his head contemplated Lance’s words. Do something for him? He couldn’t possibly understand, what hasn’t Lance already done for him? Too much, Keith believed. But he wouldn’t let anything get in the way of him selfishly accepting Lance’s care, for the weight of the mermans words held more promise than his dejection. So he nodded, hushed by the vehemence on Lance’s face.

Slowly, the merman reached out and, one by one, undid each button on his shirt. The fabric slipped off Keith’s shoulder as Lance pulled it off of him and placed it upon the headboard. Lance had noticed a bucket of water and towel that was bebside, sometime during their conversation, and pulled toward them. He dipped the towel into the lukewarm water and squeezed the water that clung to the fibers before he lightly dabbed it against Keith’s chest. Keith swallowed as he first followed Lance’s hand at work against him, but trailed his gaze up his arm to the focused, determined blue of Lance’s eyes. Chest cool yet also warm, Keith was enveloped in Lance’s worship. Each bead of sweat, grime of dirt, and stain of blood was wiped away by the merman, and Keith never felt more unsoiled. Freed from impurities all at the touch of a sacred being.

Keith’s hand came up to still Lance’s and brought his wrist up to press a delicate kiss. And then another further up his forearm. One after another. Light pecks travelled up to meet Lance’s shoulder. Keith stopped there, slowly pulled his attention from tan skin to the face of a merman who had melted. Lips parted, Lance edged closer until his chest was flushed up against Keith’s, skin warm to each others touch. And then, they were kissing. Soft lips danced with one another. Pressing. Tasting.

Loving.

Keith bandaged hand grazed lightly against Lance’s skin and the merman pulled back at the touch. He studied it for a moment before he gently pushed against Keith bare chest until he was laid on his back, head rested against the pillow. Lance carried Keith’s injured hand to rest at his own side before the merman slid himself beside the other, pressed up against his side.

“My pearl,” he whispered, “let me take care of you.”

Keith gulped, and let himself be swept away in Lance’s touch as his hands travel up to his neck. Pulled forward into another kiss, his lips invigorated Keith. Filled him up too full that he overflowed with amorous affection. Each touch of the merman’s fingers electrified him, thrilled under the physical touch.

And as Lance’s hand slid down from his neck, he trailed down and firmly pressed his fingers into the muscles, only to stop just before the top of Keith’s trousers. Keith pulled back, lips wet, to meet lustful, yearnful eyes. Lance searched Keith’s face, anything that suggested he didn’t want this. But Keith could only fall back to Lance’s lips, he captured them in a firm press all while Lance’s hands dipped into his pants.

Keith’s breath hitched, and for the first time he was unraveled as Lance’s fingers grazed the hairs at the base of his half-harden cock. As warm fingers studied him, Keith shivered. Under the firm presses, a moan escaped the Captain, and without thought, he pushed his pelvis forward. He chased the sensation in desperation and battled with concupiscence as Lance moved his hand, finally wrapped his slender fingers around him.  He lost himself, more than he ever had before, in the feeling. Too weak to hold back his voice as he practically whined into their kiss. Thorough strokes had Keith eyes rolled back behind closed lids. There was nothing other than the building pressure in his abdomen, the sudden jolts of pleasure, and the delicate touches of Lance. His lips lost their way as his mouth hung open, too inebriated to focus. But Lance, like the needy merman that he was, trailed his adamant kisses down Keith’s neck. He nipped at the skin, and a shiver rolled down Keith’s spine. How spoiled he was.

It wasn’t until Keith was close, as he began to give in to the pleasure, had he noticed a soft squelching sound. He managed to open his eyes somehow in spite of the incoming euphoric light at the end of the tunnel and looked between their heated bodies.

He should have been surprised, shocked, as he never had gotten a good look at it before but Lance had his own in his other hand. He rubbed himself at the same pace. Keith had his bottom lip caught between his teeth, and contemplated, distracted almost by the hand on him, before he reached down between them. He placed his hand atop Lance’s to stop the rapidly quickening strokes.

Lance stilled for a moment, lips paused on red skin.

Keith swallowed, nerves tingled down his arm as he replaced Lance’s hand with his own. Thick and warm, that was the first thing that came Keith mind as he wrapped his hand around Lance. The merman threw his head back with a sultry moan.

Now it was Keith’s turn to make a mess out of him.

His lips traveled the exposed neck all while sweet murmurs escaped Lance. Oh, how selfish he was. How greedy he had become. He took all he was given, and then some as he pushed his pelvis forward until he nudged up against Lance. The merman shivered under Keith touch, and without thought to ask, Keith grasped themselves together. He didn’t know what he was doing, all he knew that it felt good and he didn’t want to stop. It wasn’t exactly as he imagined it to be, it wasn’t as clean as he assumed. It was messy and uncoordinated, but nevertheless, it made them both gasp with every stroke. With the rock of their hips, every press of the sweet friction between them. Keith vigorously trusted forward as his teeth grazed Lance’s neck. He nipped and bit at the skin as he fell deep into rapture.

Unbeknownst to him, Lance was gone. On cloud nine, where his instinct brought him. At the sensation of Keith’s teeth marking him, he had gone limp. He gladly let himself be taken if that what Keith wanted. If that’s what he needed. 

And  _ god _ , did Keith take.  

* * *

Three heavy knocks took Keith from the bliss of his dream. It had his eyes wide and he quickly shot out of bed. As the covers fell from their place atop the mattress, he hunted for his blade. He was quick to draw it when he found it laid by his table and stood in preparation for assault.  

“Keith?” Pidge called from behind the door.

Keith’s tensed shoulder fell and he exhaled the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding.

“What is it?” He asked by the door, hand firmly pressed to keep the door shut just in case she opened it.

“I need to change your bandages.” She said as if it were obvious. 

Keith glanced at his bed, and a sleepy Lance watched him, eyelids drooped in morning haze.

“Um,” He swallowed as he glanced down at his bare chest, “I’ll come out. I’ll meet you on deck soon.”

She went silent, and Keith thought maybe she had left, but she chuckled lightly and muttered,“O _ -kay... _ ” 

Keith waited until footsteps disappeared down the hall before he took a breath and turned to Lance. Still tired, the merman rested on, eyes barely open. Keith couldn’t help but smile at the tired form that waited for him to return. Lance hadn’t even flinched at the disturbance. He sheathed his blade and placed it back by his desk before he made his way back into bed. Soft arms welcomed him and he molded into the warmth of Lance. Face to face, instead of going back to sleep, they gazed upon one another, quietly.

“Hi,” Lance whispered.

Keith smiled, “Hi.”

It wasn’t as if they it was their first time exploring one another bodies. But, before, they hadn’t touched one another like they had, and there was a lingering sensation of the mermans hands on him from last night. The way Lance looked at him, the way he trailed his fingertips on him as mapped out the dips and contours of his face, Keith was on a high he couldn’t come down from.

He didn’t want to.

They stayed there for too long, with soft murmurs and kisses. At one point Lance shuffled until his nose was in the crook of Keith’s neck. Keith would have stayed there all day if he could, but eventually after another knock at the door, they dragged themselves out of bed by the ominous necessity to tend to Keith injured hand. He had almost forgotten that he was hurt when he woke up in the morning. It wasn’t until he was dressed and ready to go had he realized he had grabbed his blade with his injured hand.

Lance had done exactly what he had asked, he took care of Keith. And Keith, being smitten, had been remedied. While guilt still lightly ate away at him, it was manageable. Pushed aside for momentary relief. Lance reaffirmed his morale. His mind was at peace. Once again, Lance gave him another first he never thought he’d be privileged to experience.

When they arrived on deck, everything was orderly and the crew were at their posts. Keith didn’t stop to speak with them, just a nod of acknowledgement, before he headed abaft. A man followed them to replace Pidge who had been waiting for them at the wheel. Once he lowered Lance down and sat beside him, he sighed.

“Alright, let’s get this over with.”

As he offered his injured hand to Pidge, Thace joined them. Pidge was gentle while she unravelled the gauze. With each layer undone, marks of red stained the white fabric. Lance leaned against his side and held a hand on Keith’s free arm. He tried not to let the touch get to him, but his heart had other plans. 

He would never get used to how Lance made him feel. 

“Word from Shiro,” Thace announced. “The message he sent was encrypted.”  

“That could only mean that the Galra have picked up or compromised our communications.”

Thace nodded. 

Keith pursed his lips as Thace lowered his forearm to display the message on his communications pad. Green dots and dashes–that was all on the screen. Keith furrowed his brows in concentration before his attention was torn from the screen to his hand. He grimaced in discomfort as Pidge peeled away the last layer of fabric.    
  
His wound wasn’t infected like he assumed it would have been, and it had already began healing. The skin around the wound was barely swollen compared to how it was before, the only redness was the excess blood that had stained the skin. It was impossible. Improbable. Unlikely. 

From the corner of Keith’s eye, blue stood out– a conspicuous answer to his sudden confusion. The logistics of law and nature for all people who lived on this ship had been challenged ever since Lance arrived. Lance himself was proof that there was another world that beings who roamed the land couldn’t comprehend. Lance worried eyes morphed to relief as Pidge cleaned and slowly bandaged up his hand again. 

Whether Pidge knew it or decided to keep her observation to herself, Keith had no doubt that Lance had tipped each and everyone of their fates in a realm that their science could no longer explain. 

He sighed as he turned back to the message. “I have no idea what this is supposed to mean.”

“I’ll take a look at it,” Pidge wrapped fresh gauze on Keith’s hand as she spoke, “Shiro wouldn’t have sent something like this if he didn’t think one of us could decipher it.” 

“You think you can?” She nodded. “How?”

“It’s less complicated if you look at it from the perspective of a linguist. Anything can be understood if you learn the pattern.”

“I guess? Still don’t get it but,” he shrugged.  

“I’ll figure it out. You know where to find me if you need me.” 

She tucked the medical kit under her arms, took the communicator, and left the three behind. Once she disappeared into the ship, Keith flexed his wrapped hand. There was no pain, nothing that really would restrict him. Lance, with a shy smile on his face, brushed his hand where his wound lay underneath. 

Like a hypnotist, Lance had Keith under a momentary trance. Bewitched, purple eyes lifted to blue ones, and with a shaky exhale, Keith reached out and brushed the loose strands of hair out of Lance’s face. The way Lance leaned into the touch as he glanced back and forth between Keith’s eyes, he was filled with god knows what fluttered in his stomach. 

“You best get to the wheel, Captain.” The merman teased as he pulled away.

Lance laid down on the long bench and rested his head on his crossed arms. 

_ Cute. _

The scales reflected brilliantly, stars in their own respect. With the clear sky, there was light all around them and Lance just shined. Something swelled up in his chest at the sight. With Lance safe and content, with the crew alright, and his ship still intact, Keith should have been happy.

However, now, as he looked ahead, something about the calm seas had unease return to build in the pit of his stomach. It was the sensation of his bandaged hand, his senses heightened suddenly at the feel of the gauze wrapped around his hand. 

The pain of injury. 

The loss of a crewmate. 

The failure to protect. 

He ignored it, or tried to. The gut of his stomach spiraled all while Lance laid beside him in comfortable silence. Keith snuck glances at Lance while he sun bathed the day away. Worried that somehow Lance could read his mind. But each fleeting look, all the other had done was lazily flip his fin and rested on his crossed arms. 

Not even the beauty of Lance could quench the twisted knots in is stomach. 

For once he ached for noise, to drown out the distress that tormented him without cause. Too tune out the disruptive unclear thoughts. He couldn’t, for the life of him, understand why he was suddenly terrified. He should move forward, never let it happen again. That’s all he could do but there was something amiss, something his instincts cried out for or against. It was unclear what had him on edge, and all he could do was let the anxiety simmer in him as the sun traveled across the sky. 

Finally crewmates changes their posts when the sun began to set. He sighed, exhausted by the mental strain. Keith called out for a replacement, and as he removed himself from his post, Lance woke and contorted as he stretched himself out. 

“I need to swim,” Lance murmured, “the sun did a number on me.” 

While his skin glistened, his tail shimmered with oil. 

“Lower the sails,” Keith ordered his crew. 

Lance gave him a shy smile when Keith gathered him in his arms. He leaned into the hold, and Keith sighed of… something. Relief? He couldn’t find the word, but whatever it was, the bundle of knots undid themselves within his stomach. Delicate fingers played with the strains of his hair at the nape of his neck as he moved midship. He shivered lightly by the scrape of Lance’s nails, the press of his fingers against his scalp, all while he was stoned faced. Not even the beauty in his arms could tell the solace that captured him. At least for the moment. 

They slowed on the water, and ever so gently, Keith placed the merman in the rowboat. And just like that, the vile sensation returned. 

As Lance swam circles around the ship, Keith stood helpless. He watched the seas, for any sign. Anything that would indicate harm would come to Lance. Even if he tried to enjoy the sight of Lance as he flipped out of the water only to dive back in, his enjoyment was hindered. Hindered by whatever the fuck was wrong.

But what the fuck was wrong, he didn’t know. He hated this more than anything. Like the irritation of the sound of a fly you can’t find. Or the annoyance of a lost item that you just had in your hands. A forgotten thought mid sentence. 

Dusk graced them when Hunk made his way on deck with a giant canister of soup, followed by Matt and a few others. Wet hair clung to Lance’s face and neck as he pulled himself onto the rowboat, and while the men tugged him out of the sea, Keith stood ready to capture him back to his chest. 

“Do you want to eat out here or in our room?” Keith asked when he had a hold of him. 

“Our room?” 

Keith bit the inside of his check. “My room.” He cleared his throat, sheepish. 

“Unless you plan on staying somewhere else,” he looked down at Lance’s tail, the wood of the ship, anywhere but blue eyes, “it might as well be called ours- but only if you want to. If it’s too weird then... we don’t... have to.” 

Play it cool, everything was perfect as long as Lance didn’t stray away from him. The terrible possessive behaviour would have to be monitored carefully, especially with this unpleasant unknown visitor that plagued him on the inside. But Lance saw through the facade, and for whatever reason he had, planted a kiss on his neck instead of pulling away. 

“I like the sound of it.” Lance whispered against his skin. “Our room.” 

Keith swallowed. 

“Our bed.” Lance mumbled with a kiss to Keith’s jaw. 

Keith tightened his grip on the man in his arms. 

_ Don’t get riled up. Don’t get riled up. Don’t- _

“Us.” With a sultry husked voice at his ear, his senses heightened as if on surround sound. 

How much could he feel for him before he broke down and grovelled for mercy? His body shook with an unbelievable sense of jubilation at the prospect of them, together. The validation, the triumph he didn’t think he could receive from such simple mere words, had the primal part of him howl in glee.

Just as Keith thought Lance would send them off to closed quarters, Lance chose to stay outside when he got a whiff of Hunks soup. He left Lance on a stool beside his crew and took a step back. Keith couldn’t help but smile fondly at Lance as he eagerly drank down his first bowl and made his best attempt to wait patiently for seconds. He tried his best to be polite and wait, but Keith chuckled at his propensity for passion. His emotions were on his sleeve, almost at all times. Or tail rather. If not on his delicate features on his face, the translucent fin at the bottom of his tail tapped wildly against the wooden floor in excitement.

Keith was so enamored by the merman, he was slightly started when Thace cleared his throat beside him. He turned quickly toward him and the man had the audacity to throw his hands up in mock surrender with a smile on his face. 

“The night winds are calm,” Thace noted as the sail went limp a few hours ago and hadn’t picked up since. It happened from time to time. 

Keith nodded and leaned back on his elbows to rest against the rail of his ship. Lance eyed Hunk as he poured a cup of wine and offered it to him. Skeptical Lance sniffed the red liquid before he took a sip. Perked up, with eyes wide in delight, Lance happily chirp thanks to Hunk before he downed the cup. Keith could have stopped him, warned or called out to him, but how could he disturb him when Lance looked that pleased. He observed from afar, his crew as they socialized with the merman. He almost forgot that Thace stood beside him until Pidge came out from inside, straight towards them. 

She tossed the communicator to Keith, “Figured it out.” 

Keith raises a brow, “That was quick. What does it say?” 

“Olkarion.” 

Keith pressed his lips together. Olkarion wasn’t too far off from Arus, a small detour that wouldn’t put too much loss in the journey but nevertheless a setback. Time that could be spent toward something useful. Such as fighting in a war that had yet to be won. 

“He’s sending reinforcements.” She added.

“Anything about Arus?” 

Pidge shook her head. 

“It will be a quick stop.” He decided as he pushed himself off the railing. “It’ll give us an opportunity to stock up on supplies. Let the crew rest as well.” 

He called for the crew to adjust sales, and quickly the few got into their stations. Keith hopped up onto abaft to take over the wheel, pulled out his compass and charged course. A glance up at the sails, as he awaited for a sharp turn of his ship, only to be disappointed in the cloth limp. Without wind their turn took longer than anticipated but within a few minutes, the ship now pointed North East. 

He waved for his replacement to return as he stepped down back onto the midship. Lance had taken notice, and blue eyes caught his own in interest. He raised a brow at the dazed look Lance gave him. With a glance down at the mermans hand, it wasn’t long before he put the two together. 

“How are you?” He asked when he took a seat beside Lance.

Lance didn’t spare a moment before his head laid to rest on his shoulder. Keith held down a smile as Lance sighed and melted into him. 

“Good.” 

“Yeah?” He reached out for the cup that Lance held loosely in his hands and placed is by his stool. 

“Yeah,” Lance sighed and closed his eyes. 

And just like that, peace found him and he drifted off to sleep. It was minutes before Keith made the executive decision to turn in for the night. He picked up Lance in his arms, and carried the unconscious mer to his-  _ their  _ room. Once Lance was gently placed on the covers, Keith took a moment to admire the light breaths the other took. The small twitch of his tail. The light murmurs that escaped his lips. 

Keith reached out and brushed soft brown hair back before he pulled himself away to change out of his attire. Once in his loose trousers, he laid to rest beside the other. Somehow, within the unconscious depths of Lance’s mind, he leaned into the warmth of Keith until he was cuddled up in between his arms, face smooshed up against his bare chest. 

With Lance in his arms, safe, he couldn’t help but think back to their conversation the night before, how ashamed he was. How much he wanted to do right by Lance that it physically pained him to be on the other end of protection. A failure. With their pitstop ahead, the ugly weight in his gut that tortured him all day was back with a vengeance, a force that shook him, made his breath uneven. His hands that rested behind Lance balled into fists. 

A sigh from Lance.

That’s what pulled Keith back. Got him to find himself, to take deep breaths until his heart ceased to race a marathon. He pursed his lips, still tense, and looked down at brown locks. Lance’s nose. His flushed cheeks. He was afraid, more than anything, to lose something that he couldn’t believe he truly was worthy of. 

* * *

Seventy-two hours of travel later, the sea was uncomfortably warm. It wasn’t only the breeze that carried them forward, it was with the help of the current that they were able to cut distance on their journey. But barely. The winds gentle, hardly gave relief to the life on board. The cloudless day, the blazing hot sun at sea, roasted them. 

“We’ll be another night, probably.” Pidge commented on the slight wave of the sails. 

“This is the third day without wind, we’re losing time.” Keith grimaced. 

“There’s nothing we can do but prepare for supplies. I’ll count our inventory and see what we need to stock up on.”

With a grunt of confirmation from Keith, Pidge left him to his own devices. He watched his friend disappear into the ship before he let out a long breath. He was alone, with only the crew on board and the wheel before him. Beads of sweat rolled down the back of his neck, the clothes that clung to his body irritated his comfort. It was only a few more moments alone, without the distraction of conversation, that Keith called for someone to replace him. Once freed from his post, he eagerly rushed inside. The immediate chill of the ship brought a relieved sigh. He walked through the ship and while he passed by the murmurs of crew talking amongst themselves until they acknowledged his presence, Keith only gave them a quick nod as he aimed his sights toward the kitchen. 

A gentle laugh caught Keith as he turned the corner, and a small smile graced his lips when he saw the shaking form that sat atop the kitchen counter. Lance had his mouth covered, full of food, cheek puffed out. His smile threatened to spill the food, and Hunk’s contagious laughter made it difficult for him not to. Matt has grapes in his nose that made it all the more fun to watch. But instead of walking in and making his presence known, he reluctantly passed them and headed toward Thace’s quarters. 

“Keith,” Thace raised a brow as he stepped aside for his captain to enter. 

Keith nodded his greeting before walking in. There was an unease within Keith that had built over the days toward Oklarine. It was hard to conceptualize, Keith had really understood the reality of their situation when he confessed his worries to Lance, when he brought up the integrity of the ship. Notwithstanding the surreal healing time his hand went through, Keith was less concerned about the convenience of a quick heal than knowing full well that everyone aboard this ship would die if they went into battle without preparation. 

So then what now? 

The calm blue waters did nothing for him as he stared out Thaces’ window. It usually didn’t when he knew a fight was coming. The joy he felt these past months would be in memory, Keith knew full well that this happiness was temporary. It was never supposed to last. But Lance, he was with them. And his life would run short if he allowed the merman to stay aboard. 

“I don’t suppose the Olkarion’s have a spare ship they wouldn’t mind lending to us for a while?” It should’ve come off as a light joke, but that unease rippled through him. 

“You’re worried.”

Keith turned around to face him. “No matter the amount of supplies or reinforcement, this ship is shit for battle. We’re just a liability. Especially since we’re on our own. I would never question my brother but why waste perfectly good men like this?” 

There was a pause as Thace silently stared and Keith saw the gears that turned as the other studied him. Alive to date there were three people that knew Keith almost as well as he knew himself. Shiro had known him for almost his entire life and could read him like a book. Pidge, with her intuition and persistence, would investigate and pester until Keith gave in. And Thace, a man who was his mother's teammate, her right hand, the only parental figure he really had left. It was easy to be open with the three, but if there was one thing that Keith was open about with everyone, was the practicality of war. 

“With the state of the ship and it’s lack of capabilities, Lance would be safer staying around Olkarion.” Keith knew all too well he wouldn’t stay behind if he tried to go on without him but nevertheless it couldn’t turn a blind eye to the facts. “I already have enough to worry about and he would just add to that if he came.” He justified. 

Thace eyes narrowed. 

“What?” Keith grimaced. 

“Lance saved us from an ambush that we never saw coming. He’s capable in my eyes. If we leave him in Olkarion, then one could argue that Hunk and Pidge should as well. It would be impractical to leave Lance behind. Consider an alternative.”

He grunted in response but didn’t pay mind to the suggestion. He should replace the three with expendable men. That way the loss wouldn't hit as hard. It was a terrible thought, but the truth nonetheless. To know the people he cared about were safe would put his mind at ease.  He made not have been close with his crew but they were his to take care of if he had the chance. Keith would have bundled Thace into that equation, but he knew better than to suggest something when the Galra before him had more experience and authority than he did. 

“It’s too risky.” Keith gritted his teeth. “I can’t.” 

“You’re displaying an excessive amount of emotions in this.” 

“Don’t you feel the same way during a mission with Ulaz?”  

When it came to being out on the field, he was prepared to lose as much as he had. He never expected to win, but he always anticipated a loss of some kind. But, not this time. He couldn’t. Keith hoped to get favour with this decision. To gain Thace’s support when the time came to tell Lance to stay behind. However, what he didn’t account for was a bit of information that always left a foul taste on his tongue throughout his years growing up biracial. 

“You’ve imprinted on him, haven’t you?” 

Keith eyes fell to the floor. 

The prospect seemed so far fetched, it always had been. He wasn’t full Galra, and other than his strength and agility, there had been no other demonstration of traits that connected to his mother and her ancestry. Yet, every moment since he met Lance fit perfectly in puzzle pieces that laid finished before him in this moment. 

His uncontrolled possessiveness. 

The constant yearn. 

The desire to protect. 

It seemed his instinct decided that Lance was someone he wanted to spend the rest of his existence without his knowledge. He couldn’t say he didn’t see it coming, but he there was no reason to think this wasn’t just because Lance was perfect, in every way. He couldn't be upset, truthfully, but there was a part of him, no matter how small it was, that feared the reality of what Thace said. 

“Keith?” Thace promoted. 

He pursed his lips and shrugged as he took a seat at his desk. “I must be something else. I don’t understand why it would magically show up uninvited.” 

It physically pained him to think that after all this time, he was exactly what he thought he wasn’t. Truly a half breed. Thace gave a sympathetic smile and pulled a chair beside Keith to sit beside him. 

“Your Galra genetics are more active now.” 

He scoffed but said nothing. 

“Galra’s fully mature anywhere between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two. It doesn’t seem unusual you’re experiencing this now given you’re twenty.” 

“Great,” Keith sat down and buried his face in his hands,“I get to go through puberty all over again.” 

“It’s not exactly-”

“I know Thace,” Keith sighed as he rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palm, “I know.” 

The creak of the ship filled the silence between them. 

A second passed. 

A minute. 

Until Thace finally spoke, “you didn’t have a problem with it until now.” 

Keith rested his elbows on the table.  

“I can’t, Thace. I can’t let him come with us when I know we’ll lose.” His voice wavered as he turned lifted his to look at the other. “It’s been killing me from the inside out for days. There is no amount of reassurance I can give myself before something inside of me shuts it down. It’s constantly yelling that Lance is in danger. I’d be emotionally compromised if he came with us.”  

“You’re already emotionally compromised.” 

And that was the truth of the matter. Too Galra to be Human, too Human to be Galra. Never enough, to be considered either or. Not good enough to not let his inner turmoil influence the rational that he spent his entire life proving he had. 

“But that doesn't mean you’re unfit to lead.” Thace continued. “You’re right, I do have these fears when Ulaz is in harm's way. It’s only natural to be fearful for your loved ones, Galra or Human. But Keith, it’s not a weakness. You haven’t had the opportunity to understand that this kind of dedication fills you with strength. Kolovain is strict when it comes to conflicts of interests because wants us to understand, to respect that even he couldn’t, in good conscious, put his loved one before the lives that suffer at the hands of our enemies.” 

Keith eyes widened. “Kolovain has a partner?” 

Thace’s eyes fell solemnly to the ground before he meet Keith’s. “Had.” 

He exhaled deeply, a profound sorrow resided in his chest despite never having known who it was or how it happened. 

Thace took a long look at him before he placed his hand on his shoulder. “Both came to terms when the time came to make that choice. They knew there was no way out of their circumstance but they made it together. Both chose and even if he had to live on without her, it’s what she wanted. You’re not the first one who has to make the decision and you won’t be the last.” 

Thace stood from his chair and left Keith behind as he walked out of his room. 

Up until now he was unsure why his irrational perspective had taken over. In the art of war, there should be no feelings involved, yet here Keith was. All in emotions. Wrapped up in a fantasy world where Lance didn’t have to be threatened by danger. Where their courtship was blessed with a time of peace and prosperity. But the only reality that resembled that was one where he was untouched and unharmed. Safe. 

But to leave Lance, and deprive him of that choice, the one he struggled to allow Lance to make to join him on this journey, he couldn’t do that to him again. He hated, in the depths of his heart, to have Lance in the line of danger. To have anything happen to him. But how could he make choices for him like that. How could he allow himself to take away whatever remained left of the Nanti’s liberty. He would be no different than the Galra who sought control, power. 

Ethically, it was impossible for Keith to ignore. He had to look past his fear and remember his training in order for the greater good to prevail. In order for Lance, and his people, to be free.  

He reached into the pocket of his jacket, a sudden chill to his fingers, only to have his fingers brush up against metal. Metal he had placed there. A gift he had yet to give. He pulled out the jewelry, and laid it in the palm of his hand. These two weeks were unlike him. Much change had happened since he left the capitol, and despite the turn of events, despite what he was known for, Keith had never been good with change. Especially with pain.

When his mother died, he cried alone at night for months. Still too this day he couldn’t speak of her without the pull of depression. 

When his father passed, he found himself hiding himself at every corner to swallow down the painful lump in his throat, the ache in his chest. With both of his parents lost, there was no one to comfort him. And so he coped like this, for years, on his own. 

When Shiro disappeared, for months, he truly believed he was gone, like the rest of his family, yet somehow he was blessed with a second chance when Keith found him on a mission with Ulaz. It had been bittersweet, Shiro’s life had been spared by fate but not all of him had survived. He did not show his pain in front of Shiro at the loss of his arm, he stood strong for his brother. Nevertheless he self-sabotaged for months, relentless training with the deprivation of food and sleep, eager to be a capable replacement for his brother. He succeeded, but at what cost? Force rehabilitation for nutrient deficiency.  

And now Lance, the most significant phenomenon to have happened to him in his whole twenty years of living, would be in the line of death. Another pain he might have to endure. He would hate every moment of it, but the desire to have, the want to exist beside him, couldn’t be more important than what needed to be done. It wasn’t a foreign concept to Keith, he had sacrificed many things to get to where he was, to get the resistance to where they were, but now, as he twisted the stone between his fingertips, his lips turned downward. If it came to, and Lance lost his life, he would never forgive himself. He would rather be hated till the end of time then to let that happen. 

With a sure and silent resolve, Keith pocketed Lance’s soon to be gift and left Thace’s room. 

* * *

He laid in bed, wide awake yet exhausted. He should have been asleep but he couldn’t stop his thoughts. They plagued him with terrible visions, one where Lance was hurt. Bleeding. His gut hadn’t quite calmed down like he hoped it would after speaking with Thace. But he hadn’t expected it to. Not until there was some sort of resolution to his fears. Not until Lance was safe. 

He needed some air. 

He quietly got up from bed, careful not to wake Lance. His soft breaths, the rise and fall of his chest, the small curl around the warmth of where Keith had been, almost made him reconsider.So he was quick and threw on his jacket before slipped out of the room. With the slow close of his door, careful not to make any noise, he trudged himself onto the deck, ready to take place at the wheel; only to stop short when he saw Pidge behind it. She stared off ahead into the distance, eye calculating. He followed her gaze but saw nothing. She hadn’t pulled her eyes from the ocean, even when Keith made his presence known and stood by here. As he to the still water and then to the limp sails that barely drifted, he sighed in disappointment. 

“You must have noticed by now,” Pidge finally spoke up. 

“Hm?” He turned to her, but her eyes lingered ahead. “What are you talking about?” 

“About Lance,” 

“What about him?”

“He’s hiding something from you and whatever it is it’s related to our shit sailing conditions.” He pulled a face, confused, almost offended, one that made Pidge scoff. “You can’t deny that his presence has caused some ridiculous shit to happen.” 

“Care to elaborate?” 

“You seriously can’t tell me that your hand magically healed itself in three days.”

“It could happen. It’s not that significant.” 

“Not that significant? Keith, you should have had your hand amputated.” 

“Amputated?! You said it would take a month to heal!”

“I was lying,” she deadpanned, “I wanted to see if Lance would meddle. And meddle he did.” 

He wanted to defend Lance, that he had healed on his own, but Keith knew this already. Lance had changed their conditions, and Keith, for whatever reason, hadn’t addressed them to his right hand. 

“I noticed,” he sighed, “but I wasn’t sure if it was intentional or not.”

“You think his  _ mere  _ presence blessed us with good luck?”

“Can you explain it then? Why my hand healed as quick as it had?” He rebutted, a little irritated. 

She stared down at her own hands before she shook her head. “No, but I don’t think this is unintentional.” 

“Why would Lance hinder us from stopping the people that’s destroying his home and murdering his people?”

“Does he know you’re half Galra?” 

“Yes?” His brows pulled together, confused. “Why would that matter?” 

“Maybe he thinks you’re with the enemy? Gain favour with the Captain. I don’t know, I’m trying to think of any possibility at this point. But let’s say, for argument's sake, it’s not Lance. How do you make any sense of this?” She looked back out to the still ocean ahead.  

“What?” He choked. “You think Lance could be tricking us?

“I wouldn’t put it like that but yeah, misguide or whatever.” She sighed. “I don’t like thinking Lance is terrible but logically we have to make sense of this situation. I don’t think the Galra were capable of what happened a few nights ago. I’m no meteorologist but that wasn’t a weather thing. That was a Lance thing.”

“A Lance thing.” He repeated flatly with an unamused look. 

“Lance thing, ocean thing. It’s all the same. We know he’s was considered a mythological creature, and said creature revealed he had magical powers and he’s hiding that from us? From you? What reason could he possibly have to want to do that?”

“So he doesn’t trust me fully yet. I’m fine with that, Pidge. If he needs more time before he can share stuff with us, then let him. There nothing wrong with that. But to say that he’s trying to harm us, after everything he’s done for us, would be morally fucked. It’s wrong to think that. He saved me once before and now everyone else. What reason would he have to put himself at risk considering his people are the ones that suffer the most?”

“His people?” Pidge’s eyes widened. “He told you more about the Nanti! You didn’t tell me another piece of important information again, Keith!”

He bit the inside of his cheek and looked away from here. “With all due respect Pidge, I think there are certain things I won’t be able to tell you anymore about Lance given… the uh- progression of our relationship.”

“Relationship.” She exhaled deeply. “Right. That’s fine. But if you’re sure it’s not Lance and the Galra, then something’s out for us and we have no clue who or what it could be.”

The unease that had been with him for a few days was more than just fear of Lance being in harm's way. But a lurking enemy, somewhere, too close for comfort that his instincts were on edge. 

“Whoever it is, they’re a threat. They kill. And we should be prepared for the worst. Hopefully we’ll be there by day break.” He scanned his surroundings but while surveying the sea would satisfy his primal instincts, his desire to be with Lance outweighed it by a landslide. 

“I’m going in,” he excused himself and quickly rushed into the ship.

* * *

He tried his best to be as quiet as possible, but a small creak of the door as Keith slowly closed it stirred Lance awake. 

“Keith?” 

“Hey,” he removed his shirt and joined Lance, “go back to sleep.” 

Lance shuffled closer to place himself in Keith’s arm and breathed out once his face was in the crook of Keith neck, “where did you go?” 

“Just for some air,” 

Lanced pulled back slightly to look Keith in the eye. Whatever he saw blossomed concern. 

“What’s wrong?” He cupped Keith’s face. 

“Nothing is wrong.” He shook his head and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. “We should go to sleep. It’s late.” 

The merman gave him a flat look. 

“I’ll sleep when you tell me what’s wrong.” Lance pouted. 

Keith sighed, knowing that Lance wouldn’t let it go. But he hadn’t yet formulated a way to discuss his fears, the worry. Tomorrow they’ll be in Olkarion, there was no other time better than now to discuss the thing that had been eating at him for days. 

“I’m worried. About you, coming along with us into battle.” He covered Lance’s mouth when the merman opened his mouth, brows pinched. “ Hold on- let me finish. I’m not saying you can’t come. I won’t choose for you. I made that mistake once before and I won’t do it again. I promise. But that doesn’t mean I’m terrified of what might happen. What could happen. And tomorrow, when we port in Olkarion, I can’t take you with me. It’s not practical and if anyone found out about you, it would be a big ordeal and I don’t want that. I want you safe so that when this is all over, there’s still an us.” 

Keith removed his hand.

“You’re not the only one. I may respect your bravery and who you are but that doesn’t mean I don’t fear for your life. You’re not the only one who cares about the other, my pearl. But we do this, together.”

Keith couldn’t help but smile, mimicking the small one Lance gave him. Without another word, they both leaned in. The soft press of their lips, it filled Keith with more strength, more security, than the walls of his quarters, the blanket that shielded them from the cold. It was all still so new to him, and maybe he was too excited for his own good, falling in love with someone he barely knew for less than a month but home is where the heart is and Keith couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.


End file.
